Shiv Sena candidate Shubha Raul was on Saturday elected Mumbai mayor. Raul defeated Congress candidate Sheetal Mhatre by seven votes.

Raul, a medico by profession, was elected to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation from Dahisar suburb of North Mumbai in the February 1 elections.

Eight members abstained from voting on Saturday and one member was absent.

As per the partywise strength in the newly formed BMC, Shiv Sena has 83 members followed by Congress (71), Bharatiya Janata Party (28), Nationalist Congress Party (14), Samajwadi Party (8), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (7), Republican Party of India-Athavale (2), Akhil Bharatiya Sena (2), Bahujan Samaj Party (1) and Independents (9).

BJP candidate Vidya Thakur was elected as deputy mayor of the BMC.

Thakur, who polled 117 votes defeated her NCP rival Bharati Pifal by 17 votes.

The mayor's post had been reserved for an OBC woman. Also, for the first time, the mayor was elected by raising the hands and not by secret ballots.