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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.

Uddhav-Raj drop broad hints of tie-up

Mumbai: On a wet Saturday afternoon, the Thackeray kin – Uddhav and Raj – set the Maharashtra politics on fire with clear indications of not merely a tie-up but a long-lasting alliance, rattling the ruling Mahayuti triumvirate of Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party.

 

The cousins, spewing venom till last month, today came down to warmly addressing each other as ‘maananiya’ (honourables), evoking thundering of applause at the NSCI Dome in Worli.

 

Belying speculation, it was Thackeray cousins show as they both occupied the dais against the backdrop of a huge pink outline map of Maharashtra and two giant screens on either side, beaming photos of Uddhav-Raj flanking the late Balasaheb Thackeray, not missing the subtlest expressions or words as the dismayed ruling side leaders spit out blistering barnacles at them…

 

Though the audience comprised activists of Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, the families of Uddhav and Raj plus Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi allies’ leaders were present though the Congress failed to depute a senior leader for the much-anticipated event.

 

Others like Nationalist Congress Party (SP) Working President Supriya Sule and General Secretary Dr. Jitendra Awhad, PWP’s Jayant Patil, All India Kisan Sabha’s Dr. Ajit Navale, Rashtriya Samaj Party’s Mahadev Jankar, Communist Party of India’s Prakash Reddy, more than compensated the Congress’ token presence.

 

Activists of both parties started for the big day from Friday, arriving in droves from around Maharashtra, some seen singing-dancing, some playing drums, en route, making merry to herald the potential ‘coming together’ of the Thackeray cousins.

 

Fiery Raj, sarcastic Uddhav 

Akin to their respective personality, Raj admittedly put up a fire-brand performance with a double-spicy oratory while Uddhav displayed his usual aggression with sarcastic darts emanating through his speech.

 

After the Thackerays’ homilies were delivered filling up the audience with sufficient food-for-thought before lunch, the other honourables were individually invited to the stage to meet-and-greet the gathering that almost went into raptures.

 

Earlier, both Uddhav-Raj encountered each other, smiled and gave warm hugs, arrived on the stage in spotlights with arms around each other’s shoulders, much like ‘Jay-Veeru’, Uddhav bowed before the gathering, there were many light exchanges between them; and ditto was the scenario with their respective sons, cousins and other beaming relatives.

 

Present were Uddhav Thackeray’s wife Rashmi, Aditya and Tejas, Raj Thackeray’s mom Kunda, uncle Bhai Deshmukh and his family, his wife Sharmila, daughter Urvashi, son Amit, brother-in-law Abhay Deshpande, Unmesh Chavan and above all the cousins’ beloved Chandrakant Vaida, revered as Chandu Mama, with many moments of saying ‘cheese’ before cameras.

 

MNS General Secretary Vageesh Saraswat said that the event passed off better than expectations from both sides, plus the presence of the family members of the Thackeray cousins conveyed a powerful message to the leaders and workers from both SS (UBT) and MNS.

 

“We sincerely hope that all this camaraderie doesn’t end up as a mere show for the paparazzi but truly culminates in a meaningful and mutually beneficial tie-up,” an excited Saraswat told ‘The Perfect Voice’.

 

A senior SS (UBT) leader from Pune had similar sentiments on the outcome of today’s grand ‘melava’ which has given a double-booster to the morale of workers from both parties.

 

“Nevertheless, the SS (UBT) must tread carefully as the other side can be mercurial at times, plus consider the advantages/disadvantages of a political tie-up which could benefit them more than us,” said the leader, requesting anonymity.

 


The last time Raj and Uddhav appeared together in public was during the Malvan Assembly by-election campaign in 2005. At that time, the Shiv Sena was still a united entity under the towering presence of Bal Thackeray. The by-poll was necessitated by the resignation of Narayan Rane, a senior Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister, who had quit the party following internal disagreements.

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