The BJP’s newly appointed Mumbai chief, Ameet Satam, has triggered controversy with remarks made during the party’s Vijay Sankalp Melava, an event attended by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Piyush Goyal. Satam linked the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections to the “safety” of Mumbai and warned that “a Khan” should not become the city’s mayor, a statement widely interpreted as a communal reference to the Muslim community.
In his speech, Satam argued that Mumbai’s political battle was tied to its security and demographic composition. Drawing parallels with international debates on immigration, he said, “International countries are being infiltrated, and their colours are changing. Look at the surnames of mayors of some cities. Do we want that pattern in Mumbai?” His comments are seen as a veiled reference to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has Pakistani roots, amid ongoing anti-immigration protests abroad.
Continuing, Satam claimed that localities such as Versova and Malvani—areas with significant Muslim populations—could set a trend across the city. He said, “The Versova-Malvani style can spread all over. There will be a Bangladeshi on the doorstep of Mumbaikars. Tomorrow, a Haroon Khan may be elected in every ward, and some Khan may become the mayor of Mumbai. Don’t let it happen.” The remarks come at a time when the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance has intensified its campaign against alleged illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Maharashtra.
Satam maintained that the BJP’s mission was not confined to politics but extended to development and safeguarding the city. He urged party workers to mobilize at the grassroots level to ensure that a Mahayuti candidate secures the mayoral post in the long-delayed BMC elections.
The BMC, regarded as Asia’s wealthiest civic body, has not held elections since 2022. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court fixed January 31, 2026, as the deadline for conducting the pending local body polls in Maharashtra.
Addressing the gathering, Devendra Fadnavis attacked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, recalling the aftermath of the 2017 civic polls when the BJP, despite being just two seats short of a majority, ceded the mayor’s post to Shiv Sena. “We had the numbers, but gave the post to Shiv Sena because Uddhav was upset. We showed a big heart,” he said. Fadnavis accused Thackeray of betrayal in 2019 but asserted that with the BJP’s full majority in 2024, Mumbai would have a Mahayuti mayor this time.
