NAVI MUMBAI, Feb. 2 -- The bitter rivalry between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Navi Mumbai intensified on Sunday with both parties fielding candidates for the mayoral and deputy mayoral elections. The nomination process in the BJP was shrouded in secrecy, and party strongman and former minister Ganesh Naik unilaterally declared candidates for both posts, prompting Mahayuti ally Shiv Sena to rebuke his "political arrogance". Municipal secretary Sangharatna Khillare accepted nominations from all four candidates on Sunday morning. In the poll scheduled on February 5, BJP's Sujata Suraj Patil will take on Sena's Saroj Rohidas Patil for the mayor's post, while BJP's Dashrath Bhagat will take on Sena's Akash Balkrishna Madhvi for the deputy mayor's post. Though the BJP, with 65-seats in the 111-member Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), is likely to win the poll, the development indicates that political volatility in Navi Mumbai will escalate further. BJP corporators told HT that even they were in the dark about candidates for the mayoral and deputy mayoral till the announcement was made on Sunday morning. "We were simply called on Sunday morning, informed of the decision, and asked to be present to file the nominations," a corporator said, requesting not to be identified. With the mayor's post in NMMC reserved for women, Naik chose Sujata Patil, wife of staunch loyalist from Nerul Suraj Patil, over veteran contenders in the BJP such as former standing committee chairperson Netra Shirke, BJP women's district president Madhuri Sutar and Turbhe corporator Shubhangi Patil. Suraj Patil is known for his aggressive leadership and by elevating his wife - a second-time corporator, Naik has signaled that unyielding loyalty has trumped administrative experience, political observers said. Deputy mayoral contestant Naik Dashrath Bhagat is a political heavyweight from Vashi, and his candidature is a strategic move to consolidate the party's grip, political observers noted. A corporator since 2000, Bhagat has served as opposition leader (2005-2007) and standing committee member. His grassroots clout was evidenced in the January 2026 panel elections, where he, along with his nephew Nishant and daughter-in-law Priti Bhagat, secured victory with the highest margin in the city. The unilateral declaration of candidates by the BJP drew sharp reactions from Shiv Sena. "Unlike other regions where the Mahayuti works in tandem, this decision proves Naik is more interested in personal dominance than coalition dharma," a Shiv Sena leader said. A Shiv Sena spokesperson justified the party's decision to fields candidates for both posts even though they do not have the numbers, saying, "We need an alternative leadership for Navi Mumbai's development."...