Mumbai Vidhan Sabha (Part 4)
Mahim
Here the fight is directly between two big players. One is between Amit Raj Thackeray representing the MNS and the other strong candidate is Sada Sarvankar representing the Eknath Shinde camp of Shiv Sena; also there is a third candidate placed by the UBT group but I don’t think he can win this seat. The main fight is between the first two. Now from what I hear it is a tough fight between Amit and Sada Sarvankar, and I feel somewhere Amit has already got the edge for being a young, dynamic, and everyone wants to see how the scion of Raj Thackeray performs, if given a chance. Hence majority of the votes have already been confirmed to the MNS. I also heard there was a lot of convincing that happened between the Mahayuti including personally by CM Eknath Shinde for withdrawal of candidature of Sada Sarvankar, but Sarvankar we all remember wanted to have an audience with Raj Thackeray on the last day for withdrawal, a meeting which Raj Thackeray had declined. But to tell you the facts, it is so emotional to see Raj Thackeray family to go home to home, but without even blinking an eyelid Amit’s mother Sharmila Vahini, Amit’s wife Mitali and his in-laws are leaving no stone unturned and climbing every staircase and knocking every door of the chawls of the area to ask people to vote for Amit. As an outsider, I have seen the performance of Sada Sarvankar, but now I even feel Amit Thackeray should be given a chance. As said in my video too, I want a chunk of a pie to be shared with the MNS as these are the only people (read Raj Thackeray) who are pressing the right issues for us Mumbaikars.
Worli.
Few days back I had messaged Dr Shrikant Eknath Shinde to ask their candidate Milind Deora to up his game as the opposition to him is the strongest; one is Aaditya Thackeray scion of Uddhav Thackeray and the other one is a brilliant leader, but for me a wasted opportunity, MNS’s Sandeep Deshpande. See, clearly understand the votes of BDD chawls and slums are divided between UBT and MNS as a lot of Marathi people stay there. They will vote as per their choice. Now the biggest challenge for Milind Deora who is a typical townie, is to get plush people of Worli to vote for him. Here in the buildings of Worli, nearly 40,000 people reside and majority of the builders around here are Mahayuti supporters. Milind should have got leaders like Mangal Prabhat Lodha to campaign for him as the majority of the building’s are made by him and he must be knowing every flat owner by the first name. I think it is working now and we cannot predict who will be the winner here. My gut feel says Aaditya Thackeray will win but if everything moves in the planned way, Milind Deora can surprise us, as a matter of fact even Sandeep can surprise us.
Bandra East.
Here again the fight is big. Zeeshan Siddique from NCP Ajit Pawar faction, MNS has made Trupti Desai as their candidate and Shivsena (UBT)’s candidate is Varun Sardesai. For me what I learnt, the number 1 spot in days is controlled by all 3 on different days. At first, BJP did lend support to Zeeshan but then some said, had this support been given to Trupti, she would have won this seat easily. But surprisingly, even after Zeeshan has a lot of sympathy on the ground from his Muslim dominated constituency, Varun Sardesai is not far behind at all. Zeeshan is playing a different ball game here, which is not being digested well by the locals here, I am told. I won’t be surprised if everyone comes against Zeeshan and decides to vote for Varun or Trupti at Bandra East.
Vikrant Hemant Joshi.
