3 minutes of readingBombayFebruary 8, 2026 09:11 am
Sanjay Ghadi’s elevation as Mumbai’s deputy mayor underlines a striking political transformation. In 2022, during the Shiv Sena split, he was among those who publicly protested against Eknath Shinde and MLAs who sided with him. Three years later, he held a key position in the Shinde-led Sena.
When the party was still the undivided Shiv Sena under Uddhav Thackeray, Ghadi had opposed Shinde’s rebellion. He led a protest outside the public relations office of Magathane MLA Prakash Surve, one of Shinde’s supporters. During the agitation, his wife Sanjana Ghadi was seen hitting a banner featuring Shinde and Surve with her shoes. After the split, he became spokesperson for the Uddhav-led Sena (UBT) and regularly criticized the Shinde faction both publicly and on television. In April 2025, both Sanjay and Sanjana Ghadi left the UBT and joined the Shinde-led Sena, drawing harsh criticism.
Born and raised in BombayThe 57-year-old has a degree in Commerce from Siddharth College, Fort. He studied in a BMC school till class 7 and completed his SSC from Chhabildas High School in Dadar. In his election affidavit he has declared that his occupation is commerce and transportation.
Ghadi entered politics in 1988-89 through the Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, the student wing of the undivided Sena. In 1990-1991, he became president of the Students’ Council of the University of Mumbai and was later a member of the Senate. In his early years, he was considered close to Raj Thackeray.
When Raj Thackeray formed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in 2007, Ghadi joined him, served as the state’s general secretary and contested the elections on an MNS ticket. He later returned to the Sena and rose to the rank of Deputy Director. In 2017, he was elected corporation and served until 2022.
Ahead of the 2026 BMC elections, Ghadi attempted to contest from District 5, citing his local work. While Mahayuti shared a seat, the neighborhood became contentious. Sena MLA Prakash Surve, led by Shinde, pushed for a fine for his son Raj Surve, while Ghadi was initially asked to shift to Ward 4. He refused and insisted on Ward 5. The matter escalated to Eknath Shindewho finally approved Ghadi’s candidacy, abandoning Raj Surve’s claim.
Ghadi won the seat, defeating candidate and former Sena (UBT) corporator Sujata Patekar. In Ward 4, Shinde Sena’s Mangesh Pangare also won. When Mahayuti finished the deputy mayor’s post, Ghadi emerged as the consensus choice.
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According to his latest affidavit, Ghadi has assets worth Rs 12.84 crore, liabilities of Rs 1.81 crore and an annual income of Rs 43.36 crore. In 2017, his declared assets amounted to Rs 3.10 crore. He has no pending criminal cases. From student politics to the MNS, from opposing the 2022 partition to joining the Shinde Sena, Ghadi’s journey reflects the changing alignments of Mumbai’s civic politics.
