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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 to enter Mumbai

The activist gets permission for a day’s protest at Azad Maidan. He says he is prepared for a month’s protest

Mumbai: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil is all set to hold protest at Azad Maidan starting Friday. Mumbai police have granted him conditional permission to hold protest for a day along with 5000 protestors. However, Jarange-Patil and his followers are said to be prepared for a month-long sit in protest.


Jarange-Patil, along with a large number of supporters, started off from Shivneri fort in Pune district on Thursday. On his way activists from Nashik, Ahilyanagar and Pune district joined him.


While speaking to media, Jarange Patil clarified that the permission for just a one-day protest is not acceptable, reiterating his decision to undertake an indefinite fast in support of his demand for the Martha reservation from the OBC quota, which would be sustained within the legal framework.


“Justice should be done to the children of the Maratha community, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should support this. We will go to Mumbai. CM Fadnavis should accept our demands and implement them, and stop being stubborn,” said Jarange-Patil.


Jarange-Patil said even though the police have granted permission for a day, the Maratha community protesters will stay at other grounds. “They have given permission only for 5000 protesters. So, we will stick to that. Only 5000 protesters will be there at Azad Maidan. Others will wait at other grounds. Once the first batch of Maratha community protesters go back, Another 5,000 protesters will come in their place. Therefore, the terms and conditions of the government will be followed. There will be Marathas at the gates of Mumbai. And after one group leaves, another group will reach Azad Maidan,” he added.


Patil claimed that he would not back down; instead, he was firm on the indefinite fast at Azad Maidan. “The protest will be peaceful. I have appealed to the Maratha brothers to be patient. Do not break any law. Do not act in a way that will cause trouble to anyone. Do not create chaos. Not to act in a way that will bring down the name of the caste and community,” he said.


Jarange-Patil has demanded that the Maratha Kunbi be one and should be implemented in education and recruitment. The government should implement the Hyderabad Gazetteer, the Satara and Bombay Gazetteers to do justice to the Maratha community.


Negotiations in Mumbai: Vikhe-Patil

Water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who also heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha quota, said, negotiations with Jarange Patil would be held in Mumbai. “A solution can be found quickly if both sides approach the issue positively,” he said. He enumerated decisions made by governments under Devendra Fadnavis for the Maratha community while elaborating on the government’s stance while dealing with the protesters.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde too is said to have cancelled his scheduled tour to his ancestral village Dare in Satara district in wake of Jarange-Patil’s agitation.


Shinde committee not in favour of demands regarding Gazettes

One of the major demands being raised by Manoj Jarange Patil is implementation of provisions of Hyderaband Gazette, Satara Gazette and Mumbai Gazette. The said gazettes have concrete proofs regarding registration of ‘Maratha’ community as ‘Kunbi’ and hence their implementation would easily include all Marathas as Kunbis and hence open up their way to avail OBC quota, they have argued. However, the Justice (rtd.) Sandeep Shinde committee formed to look into the issue, is not of the opinion to do so.


According to the committee the gazettes have numerical data on various castes and communities prevailing in the society back then and they lack individual data to back the claim being raised by Jarange-Patil. According to sources, the committee also tried to discuss the issue with Jarange Patil. The committee had recently travelled to Chattrapati Sambhaji Nagar in order to understand the Maratha quota activists ideas as to how they want the government to accept the demands in absence of concrete individual data. However, they couldn’t meet Jarange Patil even while they had sought time for a meeting, the sources said.The committee had travelled to Telangana in order to verify old documents. However, when they examined the documents they had sought from the government, they realized that the claims by the activists is not supported by the documents. However, earlier this week the state government extended the tenure of the committee by six months and the cabinet sub-committee head Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil stated that the study of the gazettes has begun.


Jarange's supporter dies of heart attack

A 40-year-old activist, who was accompanying Maratha quota movement leader Manoj Jarange for his protest in Mumbai, died of a heart attack near Junnar in Pune district on Thursday, police said.


The deceased, identified as Satish Deshmukh from Beed district, was part of the group traveling with Jarange to Mumbai, where the latter will launch his indefinite fast at Azad Maidan. "Deshmukh complained of chest pain near Lenyadri in Junnar tehsil on Thursday morning and was rushed to a hospital in Narayangaon, where he was declared dead," a senior official of the Pune rural police said.

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