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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city...

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city will get a ‘Hindu Marathi’ person to head India’s richest civic body, while the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena also harbour fond hopes of a miracle that could ensure their own person for the post. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) optimism stems from expectations of possible political permutations-combinations that could develop with a realignment of forces as the Supreme Court is hearing the cases involving the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party this week. Catapulted as the largest single party, the BJP hopes to install a first ever party-man as Mayor, but that may not create history. Way back in 1982-1983, a BJP leader Dr. Prabhakar Pai had served in the top post in Mumbai (then Bombay). Incidentally, Dr. Pai hailed from Udupi district of Karnataka, and his appointment came barely a couple of years after the BJP was formed (1980), capping a distinguished career as a city father, said experts. Originally a Congressman, Dr. Pai later shifted to the Bharatiya Janata Party, then back to Congress briefly, founded the Janata Seva Sangh before immersing himself in social activities. Second Administrator The 2026 Mayoral elections have evoked huge interest not only among Mumbaikars but across the country as it comes after nearly four years since the BMC was governed by an Administrator. This was only the second time in the BMC history that an Administrator was named after April 1984-May 1985. On both occasions, there were election-related issues, the first time the elections got delayed for certain reasons and the second time the polling was put off owing to Ward delimitations and OBC quotas as the matter was pending in the courts. From 1931 till 2022, Mumbai has been lorded over by 76 Mayors, men and women, hailing from various regions, backgrounds, castes and communities. They included Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, even a Jew, etc., truly reflecting the cosmopolitan personality of the coastal city and India’s financial powerhouse. In 1931-1932, the Mayor was a Parsi, J. B. Boman Behram, and others from his community followed like Khurshed Framji Nariman (after whom Nariman Point is named), E. A. Bandukwala, Minoo Masani, B. N. Karanjia and other bigwigs. There were Muslims like Hoosenally Rahimtoola, Sultan M. Chinoy, the legendary Yusuf Meherally, Dr. A. U. Memon and others. The Christian community got a fair share of Mayors with Joseph A. D’Souza – who was Member of Constituent Assembly representing Bombay Province for writing-approving the Constitution of India, M. U. Mascarenhas, P. A. Dias, Simon C. Fernandes, J. Leon D’Souza, et al. A Jew Elijah Moses (1937-1938) and a Sikh M. H. Bedi (1983-1984), served as Mayors, but post-1985, for the past 40 years, nobody from any minority community occupied the august post. During the silver jubilee year of the post, Sulochana M. Modi became the first woman Mayor of Mumbai (1956), and later with tweaks in the rules, many women ruled in this post – Nirmala Samant-Prabhavalkar (1994-1995), Vishakha Raut (997-1998), Dr. Shubha Raul (March 2007-Nov. 2009), Shraddha Jadhav (Dec. 2009-March 2012), Snehal Ambedkar (Sep. 2014-March 2017). The last incumbent (before the Administrator) was a government nurse, Kishori Pednekar (Nov. 2019-March 2022) - who earned the sobriquet of ‘Florence Nightingale’ of Mumbai - as she flitted around in her full white uniform at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, earning the admiration of the citizens. Mumbai Mayor – high-profile post The Mumbai Mayor’s post is considered a crucial step in the political ladder and many went on to become MLAs, MPs, state-central ministers, a Lok Sabha Speaker, Chief Ministers and union ministers. The formidable S. K. Patil was Mayor (1949-1952) and later served in the union cabinets of PMs Jawaharlal Nehru, Lah Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi; Dahyabhai V. Patel (1954-1955) was the son of India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; Manohar Joshi (1976-1977) became the CM of Maharashtra, later union minister and Speaker of Lok Sabha; Chhagan Bhujbal (1985-1986 – 1990-1991) became a Deputy CM.

Amit Shah arrives in Jammu on three-day J&K tour, holds meeting with BJP MLAs

  • PTI
  • Apr 7, 2025
  • 3 min read


JAMMU: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who reached Jammu on Sunday to commence his three-day Jammu and Kashmir tour, held a closed-door meeting with BJP MLAs and office-bearers.


This is Shah's first visit to the Union Territory after the formation of the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government in October. The visit also holds significance in the wake of a massive anti-terrorist operation currently underway in Kathua district.


Shah, who landed in Jammu around 6:50 pm, was received by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union minister Jitendra Singh, and other BJP leaders, including its Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Sat Sharma and national general secretary in-charge Jammu and Kashmir Tarun Chugh.


Former state chief Ravinder Raina and ex-deputy chief ministers Kavinder Gupta and Nirmal Singh were also present.


Shah was escorted to the Raj Bhavan and later visited the BJP headquarters at Trikuta Nagar to chair a meeting of party MLAs and other office-bearers, officials said.


The meeting, which started around 8:30 pm, continued for nearly two hours.

"Shah received feedback from the legislators on the challenges posed by drug trafficking and concerns on the security front. He guided the legislators on the strategy to counter the National Conference, which wants to confuse the Muslim society on the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Act, the abrogated Article 370 and statehood issues," Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said after the meeting.


The home minister also guided the legislators on the strategy to counter the Union Territory government's "anti-people policies" within and outside the assembly, he added.


Raina said Shah was highly appreciative of BJP workers for the landslide victories of party candidates in the Jammu region in the assembly election and asked them to work to further strengthen the organisation across the Union Territory.


The BJP bagged a record 29 seats in the Jammu region.


During his trip, Shah will visit a forward post along the India-Pakistan border and review the security situation and development initiatives.


Shah's visit to the BJP headquarters coincided with the party's foundation day, which was celebrated by workers and leaders with great fervour earlier in the day.


Police and security forces have been put on high alert for Shah's visit, the officials said.


On Monday, Shah will visit the Border Security Force's (BSF) 'Vinay' outpost in Kathua and assess the ground situation.


A massive search operation has been underway in the forested areas of Kathua since March 23 after the police and other security forces intercepted five terrorists who had infiltrated from across the International Border in the Hiranagar sector.


Four policemen and two terrorists were killed in a fierce gunfight on March 27.

Shah is also scheduled to meet the family members of the martyrs of the Jammu and Kashmir Police at the Raj Bhavan in Jammu on Monday and hand over appointment letters to some of them selected on compassionate grounds.


On Tuesday, Shah will first take stock of various development programmes in a meeting at the Raj Bhavan in Srinagar.


He will then attend another meeting to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said.


Earlier in the day, BJP state chief Sat Sharma hoisted the party flag at the headquarters in presence of senior leaders, including MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, former deputy chief minister Gupta, and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma.


Party flags were also hoisted at all organisational district headquarters, BJP offices, and on rooftops of homes of workers across Jammu and Kashmir to mark the BJP's foundation day, a spokesperson said.

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