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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.

Shinde’s man likely to join BJP

Shivaji Sawant
Shivaji Sawant

Mumbai: While lots of political workers are switching loyalties and aligning with political parties of convenience ahead of local body polls, in probably first of such a case, a senior leader from Shiv Sena under Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is likely to join the BJP very soon.


Shivaji Sawant, brother of former Maharashtra minister for public health Tanaji sawant and the Solapur district Sampark Pramukh of Shiv Sena, is learnt to have had a series of meetings with senior BJP leaders including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over past few days, and now he is likely to join the BJP, sources have said.


Tanaji Sawant was very vocal about the Shiv Sena’s powers and the party’s relationship with the BJP while he was minister for public health in Eknath Shinde’s cabinet. He was one of the most controversial ministers of the Shinde cabinet and was also accused of shielding corruption. It was due to this image he could not find place in the Fadnavis cabinet. Though it came as a shock for him, he didn’t react in his typical style and tried to under play being side lined in the state politics.


However, his brother Shivaji couldn’t fathom it when similar things started happening with him. He was upset when initially his opinion was not sought while making appointments on party posts in Madha. When it became a regular feature in the district party organization, he decided to resign from his post. However, the attention seeking gesture too was ignored by the party leadership, which forced Sawant to start thinking on other viable options.


The feat is being seen as the BJP’s efforts to keep the party organization in the district in order. The party has 5 out of 6 MLAs in the district though it lost its MP to the Congress last year. Two of the MLAs have over 15 years of experience and they have their own factions within the party organisation. Before the assembly polls last year the BJP entrusted Mangalwedha MLA Sachin Kalyanshetti with the responsibility of district chief. But, that led to rise of a third faction within the party. Hence, in the recent internal reshuffle the party ensured all key posts go to long standing party loyalists who haven’t got any posts of power. On this backdrop, Shivaji Sawant’s bid to join the BJP needs to be seen.


Sawant is expected to join the BJP along with his son and supporters which include Dilip Kolhe, former deputy mayor of Solapur Municipal Corporation. So, on Sawant’s part this is clearly a move to ensure political future of his own as well as his son and the supporters. While, for the BJP it appears to be an attempt to keep the warring factions within the party under tab and ensure electoral victory by infusing new power from outside.


Sawant initially met rural development minister Jaykumar Gore last week. He then had closed door meetings with a couple of senior BJP leaders from the party organisation and on Sunday he met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who was in Solapur for an official function. According to Kolhe, Fadnavis has assured them of time for a detailed meeting in Mumbai very soon after which decision will be taken on whether he will be inducted in the party in Mumbai or at Madha, which is his area of influence.

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