BMC polls: Shiva Sena's candidate Rajool Patil aims to declutter Bhandup hills, secure playground

MUMBAI: Shiva Sena (UBT) candidate Rajool Patil’s campaign trail begins where Bhandup’s hills get crowded—inside the slum pockets of Ward 114, where narrow lanes double up as thoroughfares, markets and play areas.

A familiar face in the neighbourhood for years, Patil is best known locally not for politics but for her work as an ambassador encouraging organ donation. Now, this cricket enthusiast entered the BMC election arena with a sharply defined pitch: declutter the congested settlements on Bhandup hills and secure the ward’s first dedicated playground for children.





Ward 114’s residents speak of daily gridlock, hawkers spilling into already tight streets, and civic services struggling to keep pace with a growing population and redevelopment activity. Sewerage lines, they say, are under pressure; drinking water remains a challenge in the hilly terrain; and traffic discipline is often missing on roads that were never designed for today’s volume.

“I am young and the voters here have known me since childhood and my earnestness in working for a noble cause—be it social work, organ donation or organising local sports activities. They have accepted my decision to contest this election and I hope this translates into a good number of votes,” Patil said, while acknowledging that the contest will be far from easy. A rebel candidate is in the fray as an Independent, and another rival is contesting from the Shiv Sena (Shinde) camp, setting up a multi-cornered fight.

Patil is the daughter of Sena UBT MP Sanjay Patil, but she insists her appeal must stand on her own work. “My dad is definitely an advantage as he is popular with local voters, but I have assured citizens in the ward that I will be available 24x7 to listen to their problems and find solutions,” she said. Her to-do list is pointed: clean up the area, widen roads where possible, discipline traffic, improve sewerage, and push SRA redevelopment “wherever necessary”.

A key promise is a playground—an issue that resonates in a ward where children often play between parked vehicles and crowded bylanes. Patil argues that even when redevelopment happens, open spaces for sports are rarely planned, despite local talent emerging from the area in the past. Patil is betting on a youth-driven mandate and her social-work credibility, citing her involvement in organ donation, including facilitating consent for over 3,000 eye donations.