Soon, municipal elections will be held in the capital of Maharashtra, Mumbai. Ahead of the civic polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leading the ruling coalition in the state, has revamped its organizational face in Mumbai. Amit Satam has replaced Ashish Shelar as the new president of the Mumbai BJP.
The announcement of Amit Satam as the new Mumbai BJP President was made by Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday. The political implications of this organizational change in Mumbai BJP are already being discussed. It is also being speculated why a new president was appointed in place of Ashish Shelar, who is considered one of the influential BJP leaders not only in Mumbai but also in Maharashtra.
In fact, Ashish Shelar is ranked among the strong leaders, sometimes even seen as a political rival to CM Fadnavis. The decision to appoint Amit Satam as the new president, replacing Ashish Shelar, is perceived as a strategy to bolster Fadnavis' influence over the organization.
Amit Satam: A Three-Term Legislator
In the Fadnavis government, cabinet minister Ashish Shelar has been a three-time legislator and has previously held the president's position multiple times. Amit Satam, who has now been appointed as the Mumbai BJP President, is considered a strong Marathi face of the party. Satam, close to Gopinath Munde, has been a three-time legislator from Andheri West.
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Amit Satam is known as a leader with vast organizational experience. He has also served as General Secretary of the Mumbai BJP's Youth Wing. His elevation to the presidency before the BMC elections is also being linked to the unity of the Thackeray brothers.
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Satam's Noteworthy Remarks
Amit Satam is counted among leaders known for aggressive politics. He drew attention with his remarks during the Tipu Sultan naming controversy. The BJP's decision to appoint Amit as Mumbai President is also attributed to countering Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray's Maratha and hard Hindutva politics. Notably, Ashish Shelar resigned as Mumbai BJP President to focus more on his ministerial work.
