Former Mira-Bhayandar MLA Gilbert Mendonca dead

Thane, Aug 18 (PTI) Former member of the Maharashtra legislative assembly, Gilbert John Mendonca, passed away on Monday following a brief illness in Thane, family sources said.

He was 72.

Mendonca represented the Mira Bhayandar assembly constituency as a Nationalist Congress Party MLA in 2009.

Later, he became associated with Shiv Sena.

Mendonca hailed from a business family. His political journey began in 1978 when he was elected sarpanch of Mira-Bhayandar. He went on to become president of the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Council in 1990.

Mendonca rose to prominence in 2009, when he contested the assembly elections on a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket and became the first MLA from the newly carved Mira Bhayandar constituency.

Mendonca was widely credited with initiating efforts to improve transport connectivity in the region, including a campaign to start local train services from Mira Road railway station. PTI COR NSK