Former Maharashtra CM Manohar Joshi Dies At 86 (image-X/rahulnarwekar)
Former Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi, aged 86, died at around 3 a.m. on Friday following a cardiac arrest at Mumbai’s Hinduja Hospital.
The ex-Lok Sabha Speaker’s body will be kept at his residence in Matunga between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. for people to pay their final respects. As per reports, the funeral will be held later today at Shivaji Park in Dadar, Mumbai. He will be cremated with full state honours.
In May 2023, he suffered from a brain haemorrhage and has been severely ill since then. On Wednesday, Joshi was admitted to the ICU at PD Hinduja Hospital after having a cardiac arrest, according to reports.
Popularly referred to as Joshi Sir, he served as the first Chief Minister of the undivided Shiv Sena from 1995 to 1999. A first for Shiv Sena, the win marked a significant milestone in his political career. He also served as a Member of Parliament and was the Lok Sabha Speaker from 2002 to 2004 during the Vajpayee government.
Throughout his career, he has held several positions of power within the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, including Municipal Councillor and Chairman of the Standing Committee. During the years 1976 and 1977, he also served as the Mayor of Mumbai.
In 1972, he was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council and later to the Legislative Assembly in 1990. In the general elections of 1999, he won a Lok Sabha ticket from the Mumbai North-Central constituency under the Shiv Sena banner.
Remembering the political figure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to pay his tributes, recalling his contributions to the political landscape of Maharashtra.
Pained by the passing away of Shri Manohar Joshi Ji. He was a veteran leader who spent years in public service and held various responsibilities at the municipal, state and national level. As Maharashtra CM, he worked tirelessly for the state’s progress. He also made noteworthy… pic.twitter.com/8SWCzUTEaj
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 23, 2024
Born in Nandvi in the Raigad district of Maharashtra on December 2, 1937, Joshi received his education in Mumbai. The former teacher made his entry into politics in 1967 and remained associated with the Shiv Sena for over four decades. Known to be one of the trusted aides of Bal Thackeray, Joshi is credited with having been instrumental in establishing ties between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Married to Anagha Manohar Joshi, who passed away in 2020, he is survived by a son and two daughters.
