Mumbai Mayor’s ₹25 Lakh Social Media Promotion Sparks Standoff Between Ruling BJP And Shinde Sena
(By Sapna Desai Mumbai Samachar Desk)
Mumbai: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation is set to spend ₹25 lakh on social media promotion for Mayor Ritu Tawde. A proposal to manage the Mayor’s social media will be tabled before the Standing Committee on Thursday. While the opposition within the civic body has criticised the Mayor over the proposal, BJP’s ally Shiv Sena (Shinde) has also taken aim at her over the matter, offering advice to which the Mayor responded that she did not need anyone’s advice. The proposal to spend ₹25 lakh on social media has visibly put the BJP and Shinde’s Shiv Sena at odds with each other.
Mayor Under Fire Again Over Spending Proposal
Since taking charge as Mumbai’s Mayor, Ritu Tawde has been in the news for her controversial style of functioning. With the proposal to manage the Mayor’s social media set to come up before the Standing Committee on Thursday, Tawde is once again facing criticism over the matter. More than ₹25 lakh will be spent for a year’s worth of promotion. For the one-year period from August 2026 to July 31, 2027, the civic body will spend ₹25,12,786 on the Mayor’s promotion.
Earlier, the proposal to manage the Mayor’s public relations had drawn sharp criticism. Even after that, tenders have now been invited for social media as well. This has also been opposed by Amey Ghole, a leader of the allied Shiv Sena group. Facing criticism from all sides, the Mayor had clarified that whenever a woman moves forward, attempts are made to pull her down. She said the ₹25 lakh tender for promoting the Mayor’s office was not new, and that the arrangement has been in place for two years, with all previous mayors having received the same facility. She added that her name should not repeatedly be used to play politics.
Shiv Sena (Shinde) Leader Amey Ghole Opposes The Proposal
Meanwhile, Amey Ghole, leader of BJP’s ally Shiv Sena (Shinde) group, opposed the proposal, saying that the money of Mumbaikars should be spent on the development of Mumbaikars, adding that this was the very reason they had come to power. He said that as part of the Mahayuti alliance, they were offering the Mayor good advice, and that whether or not to accept it was up to her. Ghole further said that the Shiv Sena’s demand was for the Mayor’s social media proposal to be reconsidered. However, following Shiv Sena’s advice, Ritu Tawde is reported to have reacted sharply, saying no one had the right to advise her.