A man walks along a wall overlooking central Mumbai's financial district skyline
Credit: Reuters photo
Mumbai: With BJP emerging as Number. 1 in the toughly-contested elections to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the party is all set to have its mayor in Mumbai.
However, this would not be BJP's first Mayor of Mumbai.
From 1982-83, Dr Prabhakar Pai of the BJP was the Mayor of Bombay, as the metropolis was then called.
In fact, Dr Pai hailed from Barkur in the Udupi district of Karnataka.
“Dr Prabhakar Pai had been the Mayor of Mumbai from 1982-1983 and belonged to the BJP. This was just couple of years after the formation of the BJP,” said Prakash Akolkar, veteran journalist, political analyst and commentator.
Dr Pai had illustrious career — Municipal Councillor (1968-1984), Mayor of Mumbai (1982-83), Chairman of BEST Committee (1978), Chairman Medical Relief & Public Health Committee Mumbai (1968 -1970), Executive Vice President Life Insurance Federation Of India, General Secretary of Mayors Fund Committee, Trustee, Zunka Bhakar Trust Mumbai , Vice president of the Ramakrishna Mission, Khar (West) Mumbai.
“Dr Pai came from a Congress background, subsequently went to Janata Party and then Congress,” added veteran political commentator Sanjeev Sabde.
The doctor-social worker had also founded the Janata Seva Sangh.