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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.

Sodun or Chorun?

Ajit Pawar’s ‘misinterpreted’ remarks over Dhirubhai Ambani leads to a political storm

Mumbai: A reference to the late industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani followed by a fiery criticism by the opponents led to a big trouble for Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday. The NCP chief felt so offended that he declared to quit politics if he meant something different than what he had said about the founder of the Reliance Group.


Pawar had said, “Dhirbhai Ambani petrol sodun kotyadhish zale”. (Dhirubhai Ambani became a multi-billionaire after started working as a vendor at a petrol pump). Pawar’s opponent Anjali Damania, a social activist, heard chorun (stealing) instead of sodun (vending). That changed the meaning of Pawar’s statement as: Dhirubhai Ambani became a multi-billionaire by stealing petrol when he was working at a petrol pump.


Since the name of one of India’s richest and most influential industrialists was involved in Pawar’s “miss-heard” speech, a political controversy took a shape immediately.


The reported speech

Ajit Pawar was campaigning for the election of the Malegaon Co-operative sugar mill in his hometown Baramati. He explained to the audience how he gave priority to Co-operative sector than anything else. “Had I started a petrol pump, I would have employed only a few people. But, I wanted to protect the Co-Operatives,” Pawar said. “No work should be considered lowly. Dhirubhai Ambani started as a petrol pump vendor. But, fulfilled his dreams and rose to become a multi-millionaire. Youth should have that kind of passion. You can create gold out of your work.”


However, Anjali Damani accused Pawar of insulting the late industrialist and slammed him over the various corruption charge he faced. “They (Ambani) became multi-millionaire by stealing petrol at the pump? And what about you? What else did you do with the irrigation scam, the MSEB scam?” Damania sought to know in a post shared on microblogging platform X.


According to NCP spokesperson Suraj Chavan, while Pawar used the word ‘Sodun’ (vending) while describing Ambani’s rags to riches story at a function, social media posts have gone viral accusing him of using the word ‘Chorun’ (stealing). “The self-styled social worker is deliberately trying to confuse people by saying ‘Chorun’ instead of the word ‘Sodun’ which was used by Ajit Pawar,” Chavan said.


The election of Malegaon Co-operative Sugar Mill is considered to be the most prestigious election in Baramati region. Ajit Pawar himself has decided to contest the election this time and has fielded an entire panel this time. This has led to the possibility of three or four corner contest.


“If I had said anything different, I would quit politics.”

Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister

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