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...

min read

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.

‘Will PM now brief parties, allow debate on post-Pahalgam strategy?’ Congress asks

PTI
Jun 11, 2025
2 min read

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi, having met the members of the seven parliamentary delegations that were sent abroad, will now agree to have a full debate in the monsoon session of Parliament on the country's post-Pahalgam security and foreign policy challenges.

The opposition party also asked whether the PM will at least chair a meeting or a set of meetings of leaders of all political parties and take them into confidence on India's future strategy vis-a-vis both China and Pakistan.

PM Modi on Tuesday hosted the members of the multi-party delegations, comprising parliamentarians and former diplomats, who travelled to various world capitals over the past few weeks to convey India's message on the need to eradicate the menace of terrorism following the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said now that the PM has himself met with the members of the seven parliamentary delegations that had been sent to various countries, will he at least now chair a meeting or a set of meetings of leaders of all political parties and take them into confidence on India's future strategy vis-a-vis both China and Pakistan and the strategic implications of the CDS' revelations in Singapore.

His remarks were in reference to the comments made by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan in Singapore recently that India rectified tactics and hit deep inside Pakistani territory after suffering losses of aircraft in the recent military clashes with Pakistan. He had also dismissed as "absolutely incorrect" Islamabad's claim of downing six Indian jets.

Ramesh also asked if the PM will agree to have a full debate in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament on the country's post-Pahalgam security and foreign policy challenges, since the request of the INDIA bloc parties for a special session has been most unfortunately rejected.

He further asked whether the PM will redouble efforts to bring the Pahalgam terrorists, who were reportedly involved in three earlier terror attacks in Poonch (December 2023), and Gagangir and Gulmarg (2024), to justice.

Ramesh also asked whether a group of experts like the Kargil Review Committee, which was chaired by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's father K Subrahmanyam, will be set up to analyse Operation Sindoor in detail and give its recommendations on the future of warfare, including emerging military platforms and technologies, and building national capacities for strategic communications in crisis.

"Will the report - after suitable redactions - be placed in Parliament like the report of the Kargil Review Committee was in Feb 2000?" Ramesh said.

The government had sent the multi-party delegations to convey a message of national unity in the fight against terrorism, with the likes of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi joining the ruling alliance members in championing the Indian cause abroad.

Prominent former parliamentarians in the delegations included ex-Union ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad and Salman Khurshid.

The Congress has also been urging the government to clarify US President Donald Trump's claims about brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and object to his hyphenation of India and Pakistan.

The government has maintained that issues between India and Pakistan will be resolved bilaterally and without any third-party intervention.

1 Comment

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Jun 27, 2025

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