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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.

Jarange gets a day’s extension

Says "won’t leave, ready to go to jail, face bullets."

Pic: Bhushan Koyande
Pic: Bhushan Koyande

Mumbai: Even after he got a day’s extension to continue his fast unto-death agitation at the Azad Maidan, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Friday made it clear that his ‘final battle’ for Maratha reservation from OBC quota shall continue.


While speaking to media in the evening, Jarange-Patil accused the state government of misleading people and pitching one community against the other. “They say we are asking for reservation from within the OBC quota means we are asking for their reservation. But we have shown them the gazettes that have entries of Marathas as Kunbis. That means reservation is the right of the Maratha community and not of the OBCs. They got the quota in 1989, whereas we had it since more than 150 years ago, during the British Raj,” Jarange-Patil said.


While reiterating his stand which he made clear earlier in the day, Jarange-Patil said, “I am ready to face bullets…I am ready to go to jail. Come what may…I am not going to back out.” He launched the fast-unto-death at 10 am in the morning amid roaring support from thousands of his supporters who donned saffron caps and scarfs.


Mumbai nearly chocked as more than 2,500 vehicles carrying hundreds of supporters of Jarange-Patil entered Mumbai on Thursday. The numbers swelled further on Friday and Jarange-Patil said the numbers shall escalate as more people from all across Maharashtra are expected to join in the protests over the weekend.


Mumbai police had earlier given permission for the agitation up to 6 pm on Friday. After an application moved by the activists, the police extended the permission up to Saturday evening. They requested Jarange-Patil to ensure conditions like no parking on streets are followed by activists participating in the agitation. Jarange-Patil criticised the state government for the conditional permission for a day. He also said that there was no communication from the state government regarding any negotiation.


Won’t buckle: CM

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, made it clear that while the state government is committed to the socio-economic upliftment of Marathas, it cannot buckle to political pressure on unreasonable demands that would lead to doing injustice to the OBCs.


While reiterating that reservation for Marathas under OBC was irrational, Fadnavis said, “We have to understand that OBCs constitute 350 communities. We cannot dilute their reservation.” The government has already given a 10 per cent separate quota for Marathas.


Leader of opposition in the legislative council Ambadas Danve met Jarange-Patil at Azad Maidan. Several other MLAs and MPs too met Jarange-Patil at the agitation site.


Instead of playing these games of giving one-day extension, announce reservations, and the poor Marathas will bless you forever. You have the opportunity to win hearts of the poor Marathas. If you take time to take a decision, more Marathas will come to Mumbai.

Manoj Jarange

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