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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.

Monsoon session underlines CM’ firm focus on Hindutva By Abhijit Mulye

Mumbai: Just concluded monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has underlined yet again that apart from good governance and development, implementation of the Hindutva agenda will be the focus during this second inning of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.


Maharashtra’s timeless pilgrimage of faith, devotion and unity – the Pandharpur Wari was just round the corner when the monsoon session began on June 30. The state government under Fadnavis between 2014 and 2019 had taken initiatives like Nirmal Wari to ensure cleanliness. This time the government took the care for devotees to the next level. Apart from making elaborate arrangements to take care of the health of devotees who walk around 250 km over a span of 20 days, the state government brought in insurance scheme for the devotees and also announced decisions on ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to next to kin in case of loss of life during the Wari.


All these measures, that can be seen as part of good governance, led to record-break attendance of devotees at Pandharpur on Ashadhi Ekadashi, when the CM performs Pooja at the Vitthal temple there. CM Fadnavis said that the state government contemplates developing amenities in the town on the lines of preparations for Kumbha, to be able to handle the large number of devotees. Intrusion of leftist forces in Wari and Wari’s comparison to Namaz on roads by SP MLA Abu Azmi led to some controversies, but Fadnavis firmly delivered the message that the government believes in Hindutva which unites all factions of the society.


The next controversy Fadnavis had to handle during the session was over the Wardha to Sindhudurg Shaktipeeth Mahamarg that connect 12 prominent pilgrimage places in the state. This brilliant blend of development and religious sentiments has disturbed many a people including some of the members of Fadnavis cabinet. However, the CM has been firmly defending the project in the legislature as well as on the field. In response to those who are opposing the project many farmers who are in favour of the project gathered in Kolhapur recently, reaffirming Fadnavis’ resolve to initiate work on the project as soon as possible.Fadnavis government has changed names of 4 prominent cities in the state in past 6 months. In the session, name of Sangli town Islampur was changed to Ishwarpur as per the wishes of the majority of people residing there. Fadnavis made it clear that his government looks at such decisions from the point of view of doing away with the cultural encroachment by the foreign rulers.


But, more than any of these actions, if any one feat is to be singled out for underlining the Fadnavis government’s resolve to follow the Hindutva agenda, it was his statement that the benefits of reservation in the state would be available only to those belonging to the Hindu fold or religions that are closely aligned with Hinduism, such as Sikhism and Buddhism. He made it clear that those who have converted to other religions, particularly Abrahamic faiths like Christianity and Islam, will no longer be eligible to avail of caste-based reservation in government jobs, meant originally for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).Not only did Fadnavis draw a clear constitutional and civilisational boundary, but he also warned of strict legal action against individuals who were availing reservation benefits despite having converted to other religions. This move is being hailed as a crucial step in protecting the true spirit and purpose of the reservation, as well as preserving the cultural and social integrity of the Hindu society.


The firm resolve of the state government in pursuing measures like these and the helplessness of the opposition in the legislature as well as on the road has also made it clear that the state government is likely to be seen pursuing Hindutva agenda with more vigour in the times to come.

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