Can A Non-Marathi Become Mumbai Mayor? BJP's Vinod Tawde Responds

BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde has responded to questions over whether a non-Marathi resident of Mumbai can become the city's mayor ahead of the 2026 BMC polls. Speaking to NDTV, Tawde said the mayor would be decided only after election results and reiterated that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has stated that Mumbai's mayor will be Hindu and Marathi. Tawde rejected allegations of divisive politics, saying the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is focused on development issues such as roads, power, and water, and accused rival parties of attempting to shift the narrative away from governance.