Correct Option (B)
Balaji Vishwanath, the first Peshwa, is credited with significantly streamlining the Maratha administration after the reign of Sambhaji. Following the internal strife and external pressures that characterized Sambhaji's period and the subsequent regency, Balaji Vishwanath played a crucial role in consolidating Maratha power and establishing a more organized administrative structure. His efforts laid the foundation for the later expansion of the Maratha Empire.
Incorrect Options:
Raja Ram was Sambhaji's younger brother and succeeded him. While he continued the Maratha resistance against the Mughals, his primary focus was on warfare and survival rather than administrative reforms. The administrative streamlining largely occurred after his period, under the Peshwas.
Ganga Bai was the mother of Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa. She was a prominent figure during the regency period following the assassination of Narayanrao Peshwa, but her role was not in administrative streamlining but rather in political maneuvering and protecting her son's claim.
Nanaji Deshmukh was a prominent social worker and politician in modern India, known for his contributions to rural development and self-reliance. He is not associated with the Maratha administration in the historical context of Sambhaji's successors.