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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.

Govt lost moral authority: Gehlot on Trump's Indo-Pak mediation claims

  • PTI
  • May 13, 2025
  • 2 min read


New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday claimed the government has lost moral authority in the wake of US President Donald Trump announcing a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan in the midst of hostilities and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify the issue.


At a press conference at the party headquarters here, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said people across the country feel that the Indian armed forces were going strong and could have given a befitting lesson to Pakistan to ensure it did not harbour terrorists or their camps in future.


He claimed the BJP has been rattled by the public sentiment over the sudden halt in military action and hence announced country-wide 'Tiranga Yatras' to placate the public. But people have now realised their "true colours", the veteran Congress leader said.


Gehlot also described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on Monday evening as "disappointing" and said he failed to clarify Trump's mediation claims. He also asked whether the government was under "any pressure" from the United States.


The Congress leader posed several questions to the prime minister on why he was not responding to claims of the US president.


Looking to corner Modi further, Gehlot sought his clarification on whether India has accepted a third-party mediation on Kashmir and claimed that the US has internationalised the issue.


Gehlot also reiterated the Congress' demand for a special session of Parliament to discuss the issue and a PM-chaired all-party meeting.


"The manner in which the ceasefire was announced, this government has lost the moral authority and moral courage to rule," Gehlot told reporters, adding that people feel this was an opportunity for the government to teach Pakistan a lesson.


"This was a golden opportunity for himself, the government and the country but it has been lost by the sudden announcement of a ceasefire," he added.


Gehlot said the opposition has been demanding a Parliament session where the government can spell out its thoughts and policy in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. "What pressure is the government under that the US intervened and claimed mediation," he posed.


The senior leader said the Army was performing well and could have taught Pakistan a lesson in never dreaming of indulging in terrorism again.


Further action by the armed forces would have deterred Pakistan from allowing terror camps in its territory, Gehlot said.


He said Prime Minister Modi addressed the nation on Monday, "but he disappointed". The country is not unable to grasp the "sudden ceasefire" because it was completely confidential, he asked.


Noting that the armed forces did a great job by targeting terrorist hideouts and its action was praised around the world and the country salutes them.


Gehlot also recalled the 1971 war, saying America had exerted pressure on India at that time too.


"But we never bowed down and divided Pakistan into two. Even during the Shimla Agreement, we did not let any other country come between us.


"But now, the way Donald Trump is intervening, Prime Minister Modi and the government should respond to it. Why is the government not giving clarification on Trump's statements? What contract has Donald Trump taken?" he posed.

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