 "Battle for prestige in Greater Mumbai")
The polling in six constituencies, where the Shiv Sena-BJP failed to open their account in the 2009 polls, is slated for April 24. There are either triangular or four-cornered contests in all six seats, where 116 candidates are in the fray.
The ruling Congress-NCP combine, which had failed to dislodge the over 17-year rule of the BJP-Sena in the Mumbai civic body in its elections held in February 2012, is striving to retain its supremacy in all six seats. The ruling alliance is banking on the development plank to effectively tackle anti-incumbency.
On top of it, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan intervened to pacify disgruntled leaders and seek proper coordination with partner NCP during the poll campaigning.
On the other hand, the Sena-BJP alliance is quite optimistic of improving its tally by riding the ‘Modi wave’. This is notwithstanding the division in votes of the Marathi Manoos following the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)’s decision to field its nominees against the Shiv Sena in south Mumbai, north west Mumbai and south central Mumbai. For the Shiv Sena-BJP, the election to the 16th Lok Sabha is the first after the demise of Sena supremo Bal Thackeray in November 2012. The Shiv Sena is making all-out efforts to cash in on the Bal Thackeray legacy.
Mocking the ‘Modi wave’ Mumbai Regional Congress Committee president Janardan Chandurkar said, “We are approaching voters purely on the development plank. A number of developmental works including monorail, metro, completion of T2 terminal, sea link and free way have been completed while several projects are under various stages of completion. The state government is committed to the rehabilitation of slum dwellers,” he noted.
However, Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai counters the Congress-NCP combine’s claim with regard to development saying that Mumbaikars continue to face all sorts of problems. He said the saffron alliance demands that state and central governments should allocate additional funds as Mumbai’s contribution towards various taxes is quite high. He added that the voters, who had wholeheartedly supported the saffron alliance in civic polls, would do it again on April 24.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which wanted to repeat its performance in the Delhi Assembly elections in Greater Mumbai, has failed to create its magic as its candidates are struggling to reach out to voters for want of adequate supporters and finances.
In Mumbai South, Union minister Milind Deora (Congress) is locked in a four-cornered contest with Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena), Bala Nandgaonkar (MNS) and Meera Sanyal (AAP). In Mumbai North, the Congress’ vocal member of Parliament Sanjay Nirupam is locked in a four—cornered fight with Gopal Shetty (BJP), Satish Jain (AAP) and Kamlesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party). Mumbai South Central is seeing a triangular contest with Congress candidate Eknath Gaikwad pitted against Rahul Shewale of Shiv Sena and Aditya Shirodkar of MNS. In Mumbai North Central, Priya Dutt (Congress) is fighting a tough battle to retain her seat against Poonam Mahajan (BJP), Farhan Azmi (SP) and Phiroze Palkhiwala (AAP). In Mumbai North West, former Union minister and Congress candidate Gurudas Kamat is locked in a triangular contest with Gajanan Kirtikar (Shiv Sena) and Mahesh Manjrekar (MNS). Actor Rakhi Sawant is also in fray with her Rashtriya Aam Party. In Mumbai North East, sitting NCP MP Sanjay Dina Patil is in a triangular fight with BJP’s Kirit Somaiya and AAP’s Medha Patkar.
All the parties are leaving no stone unturned to lure youth and first-time voters in particular. Though the election is national, the issues that matter to voters are local.