India, July 5 -- BJP Mumbai chief Ameet Satam found himself at the centre of a political storm after a video showing him laughing and remarking, "Yesterday, it was because of a tree, today it is a manhole," in the backdrop of two recent civic deaths in Mumbai went viral, drawing condemnation from opposition parties as well as discomfort within the ruling alliance.

The controversy erupted after a video surfaced on Friday showing Satam outside the state legislature apparently exchanging pleasantries with senior NCP (SP) MLA Jayant Patil. In the clip, Satam is heard laughing and saying, "Yesterday, it was because of a tree, today it is a manhole," in an apparent reference to the back-to-back deaths that have put the BJP-led Brihanmumbai Mun...