BMC polls: NCP’s Kaptan Malik leans on past work, vows to plug water woes in Kurla ward

MUMBAI: A band plays as NCP candidate Kaptan Malik and his party workers hit the congested new mill road and its bylanes including Gandhi nagar at Kurla (West) on Friday evening.

Addressing a gathering in a bylane near Mehboob Subhani Masjid, two-time corporator Malik lists the issues faced by the constituents of BMC Ward No. 165, including low pressure water supply and contaminated water, and assured them that a “capable corporator” would be able to resolve them.





Malik, who had represented the neighbouring Ward No. 170, which has been reserved for women this time round, shows no sign of being a newcomer. He explains that his family had moved to Kurla in 1977 and has been associated with the area and its people since then.

Malik is pitted against Ashraf Azmi of Congress, a two-term corporator who had represented Ward No. 165 from 2017-22.

As Malik walks through the bylanes, announcements are made appealing to local residents to press the ‘ghadi wala button’ on the ballot unit on Jan 15, when the BMC goes to polls. Some of the party workers accompanying Malik request residents at their doorstep, “ Abhi change karna hai (Need to make a change now)”, while others shout slogans such as ‘Captan Malik, aage bado, hum tumhare saath hain (Go ahead, we are with you)’ and ‘ Jeetenge bhai, jeetenge, ghadi wala jeetenge ’.

Malik is foregrounding civic issues, especially water woes and the need for playgrounds and gardens. He said he would organise a meeting with NGOs, residents, and various departments to resolve the issue of traffic congestion. He points that zero beautification has been carried out in the ward and traffic islands do not have high-mast lights. “I have spent my own money to address the issues of people, even when I was not a corporator,” says Malik, as he throws an open challenge to show any waterlogging in Ward No. 170, which he represented earlier.

When locals point out that Gandhinagar playground is frequented by drug addicts and anti-social elements, and complain about garbage collection issues and the absence of a library for students, residents of Ward No. 170 provide testimonials for Malik, saying he is available even at 2am, and is a call away.