Mumbai: The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is all set to have its Mayor in Mumbai later this week, once the negotiations with the Shinde Sena and Mahayuti corporators registration is completed. However, this will not be the party's first ever Mayor in Mumbai, unlike many think.
The BJP had installed it's first mayor in Mumbai 44 years ago, Dr Prabhakar Sanjeev Pai, who originally hailed from Udipi in Karnataka. However this time, the party has promised to install a Marathi Mayor, for which senior corporators like Alka Kerkar and Rajashree Shirwadkar are emerging as top names.
Who was BJP's first Mayor of Mumbai?
Dr Prabhakar Pai was the 53rd Mayor of Bombay (as it was called then) from 1982 to 83, a couple of years after the BJP was formed. He started his career with the Congress and eventually joined the Janata Party. A doctor and social worker, he also founded Janata Seva Sangh.
Dr Pai had illustrious career. He was multiple-times corporator from Bandra West, headed committees like BEST and Medical Relief & Public Health before becoming the mayor of Mumbai. He also served as a Executive Vice President Life Insurance Federation Of India, General Secretary of Mayors Fund Committee, Trustee of Mumbai's Zunka Bhakar Trust and Vice president of the Ramakrishna Mission, Khar Mumbai.
Many veteran journalists remember Dr Pai's trust along with leaders like Manohar Joshi, Pramod Navalkar and Sudhir Joshi, which ran a Zunka Bhakar kendra opposite BMC headquarters in Fort and sold one plate at affordable rate of Rs 50 paise.
Remembering Dr Pai, senior journalist Prakash Akolkar posted on social media that, "When Dr Pai was the mayor, there was a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) camp organised, and despite being a mayor Pai attended the camp in the khaki shorts - the RSS uniform. Dr Prabhakar Pai was a loyal BJP leader. It is surprising how everyone has forgotten him, including the current BJP leaders."
Dr Pai became the mayor at the time when socialist leaders occupied the mayor's post. Post the Emergency in 1975, the political dynamics dramatically changed across the country. In the 1978 BMC elections, the Janata Party won more than 80 seats, leaving Congress and Shiv Sena with 25 and 21 seats. After formal formation of BJP, door opened for its better public representation in Mumbai, following which in 1982, Pai was installed at the mayor.
Who will be next Mayor of Mumbai?
The lottery reservation held last week determined that the next Mayor of Mumbai will be a female from General category. Soon some names emerged as top contenders, among which the top two are Alka Kerkar and Rajashree Shirwadkar. Kerkar (73), has served a deputy Mayor of Mumbai in 2014 when undivided Shiv Sena's Snehal Ambekar was the mayor. Kerkar is ardent follower of RSS, a BJP loyalist and has backing from BJP leaders like minister Ashish Shelar.
While, Shirwadkar is a three-term corporator, former health, education and standing commitee member. Her husband Rajesh Shirwadkar is general secretary of Mumbai BJP. Shirwadkar is said to have backing from Mumbai BJP Chief Ameet Satam.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
