Vote in Dharavi went up amid political row over its redevpt

Mumbai: In Dharavi, voters rushed to the polling booths in the final two hours, driven by hopes for a better life, more opportunities, a sense of duty to vote, and even loyalties to party lines. Yet, it was the issue of redevelopment with shades of opinions that likely drove the turnout to 50.03%—higher than the 47.59% in the 2019 state election and even the 2014 and 2009 elections.Adani Group's involvement in the redevelopment project, which will decide the fate of an estimated 4 to 8 lakh residents living in slums sprawling in a 2.39 sq km area, was a major focal point of MVA's campaign.Some voters were sceptical about Dharavi's future. "No matter who comes to power, our lives here won't improve with just one vote, and we're doomed to live here the same way we always have," said 23-year-old Vignesh Aiyerdas, son of a retailer at Kumbharwada Road. He is an eligible voter who chose not to vote. Listening to his remarks, his father, Aiyerdas, intervened and said he voted with the hope that families like his, who have lived in Dharavi for generations, would not be displaced. Redevelopment plans promise homes in Dharavi to those able to prove they owned property in the area on and before Jan 1, 2000. The ones who purchased homes after till 2011 are eligible for homes in the MMR.For 45-year-old Vinod Gadekar, a disabled voter who came from Bhandup to vote, the redevelopment is a source of hope for a return on investment. "Our home is on rent here, and we want the redevelopment to go ahead. If it stops now, we don't know when it will happen," Gadekar said. Similarly, Sukhdev Ramkokne, who moved to Ghatkopar but has family still living in Dharavi, cast his vote with the belief that redevelopment is essential for improving living conditions. "People in Dharavi deserve a better life, and we voted with that in mind," he said. Dharavi's electoral history is linked to the Indian National Congress. The seat has been under the control of the Gaikwad family since the 1980s, with Varsha Gaikwad taking over in 2004 from her father Eknath until she recently stepped down after being elected as MP. Her sibling Jyoti contested this time.
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