BMC elections: Netas go in for ground connect as campaigning ends

MUMBAI: As the sun set on the final day of canvassing for Thursday’s BMC elections, all candidates extended one last fervent appeal to voters in their wards. Motor cavalcades as well as social media reels listed the aspirant’s symbol, placement on EVMs and poll timing. The pattern repeated itself in Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur – in fact, in all 29 corporations going to the polls on Jan 15.

There are 1,700 candidates in all in Mumbai, of major and minor parties and independents too, and on Tuesday, it seemed as if the city’s potholed streets were seized by the promise of development. Voters had voiced a need for improved civic amenities, and while there was discussion and arguments over these between parties, Hindutva and Marathi ‘asmita’ loomed large on the agenda of competing parties.




Campaigning began in earnest after Jan 2, the last day of withdrawing nominations, and was hectic over 11 days. On Tuesday, the flame of Shiv Sena (UBT)’s mashaal burned bright while BJP’s lotus blossomed across highways and gullies. Shiv Sena candidates took their bow and arrow symbol to voters even as groups of Congress hopefuls raised hands to signal solidarity. Despite meagre resources, independents held up cutouts of pen nib, cup and saucer, autorickshaw, laptop, coconut, candle, cycle, kite, whistle, gas cylinder and book.

As 50% of wards are reserved for women, in the case of many, their husbands or fathers took the lead in campaigning. In Andheri East, Murji Patel helmed a roadshow for wife Kesarben, contesting on a Sena ticket from ward 81. In Gavanpada, Mulund, Shubhangi Vaity’s (Cong) husband Navnit explained the lack of medicare facilities in Veer Savarkar hospital on her behalf.

In Kalina, ex-Congress corporator Tulip Miranda, who is contesting again, took out a bike rally. “Visiting narrow lanes of slums in a truck is difficult and walking wasn’t feasible, so a bike rally was the best option,” said Tulip, joined by her husband, ex-corporator Brian Miranda and Congress city chief Varsha Gaikwad.

Dipti Waikar Potnis (Shiv Sena), daughter of MP Ravindra Waikar who is contesting from K East ward, had Dy CM Eknath Shinde campaign for her. Shinde on Tuesday campaigned for Mahayuti candidates in Dahisar, Borivli, Magathane, Kandivli, Malad, Dindoshi and Jogeshwari.

Koliwadas in Madh, Dharavi, Versova and Colaba-Cuffe Parade came alive with music bands and drumbeats as Koli candidates wore nineyard saris or red caps in padyatras. In Dharavi, Congress’ Joseph Manvel Koli urged voters not to be lured by money power and focus on redevelopment woes. In Versova, Congress’ Jayesh Sandhe said he was the only ‘bhoomiputra’, his rivals were “outsiders.”

As a final push, Sena (UBT) candidates from wards 202 to 206 rallied on a single vehicle with Aaditya and Amit Thackeray. Behind them, a crowd of bikers bearing UBT Sena flags filled the stretch from Parel to Lalbaug. In the interior lanes, similar rallies were held by Sena candidates. For instance, ex-corporator Anil Kokil, who left UBT for Shinde’s Sena after his shakha pramukh was chosen over him as candidate in ward 204, led his cadre through Parel village to Ganesh Galli. His party workers reminded his voters of his work.

Hemant Bapat, Congress candidate from Mulund W, released “a hyper-local mini vachannama (manifesto) promising a dedicated WhatsApp number for citizens to air grievances.”

(Inputs by Bella Jaisinghani)