Lok Sabha elections: Melting pots of Kalyan and Thane stir change

THANE: As Thane and Kalyan

Lok Sabha

constituencies get ready to vote on April 29, dominating the discourse here is the role of changing demographics on electoral fortunes.


While most agree that it is vital for candidates to take up local issues like infrastructure, almost all say that at the macro level urban growth and the arrival of non-Marathis in large numbers have forced a change in the campaigning styles of the Shiv Sena and the NCP, the two regional parties facing off in the two constituencies. Both parties have had to adopt a broader outreach plan transcending the sons-of-the-soil formula of old.

The Agri-Koli natives once had a dominating presence in Belapur, Nerul, Vashi, Airoli, Thane and Kalwa-Kharegaon, all areas within Thane constituency. The community also has a voter strength of over 2 lakh in 50-plus villages and townships in Kalyan constituency.

Thane and Kalyan initially grew when demand for larger and inexpensive homes led to migration of the Marathi manoos from Mumbai. But today, these cities have assumed a cosmopolitan character as a boom in real estate and swank high-rises have attracted the upwardly mobile from all sections.

“ Leaders like Anand Dighe and MLAs from saffron parties like MD Joshi, Ganesh Naik, Shabir Shaikh, Jagannath Patil and Ram Kapse had an iron grip over these townships since 1968; the Shiv Sena tasted its first electoral victory in the Thane municipal council polls in 1969,” a political analyst said. “The sons-of-the-soil agenda or the Hindutva ideology had a magic influence on voters in the region then.”

Activists said the percentage of Marathi speakers now equals or remains barely a shade above the non-Marathi sections in Navi Mumbai and Thane, with the Bengali, south Indian, Gujarati and north Indian presence growing.

“The entire region of Navi Mumbai, Thane, Bhiwandi, Mira Road, Kalyan and the old towns of Ambernath-Badlapur is witnessing sweeping demographic changes,” said Sachin Salunkhe, who shifted to Thane from Dadar. “In the process, the Shiv Sena and BJP, which have been ruling the roost in these townships, too have changed their stripes in recent years so as to appeal to the new voters.”

The victory of Shrikant Shinde of the Shiv Sena from Kalyan in the 2014

LS

polls is an example of the party shifting gears. Salunkhe said the political pitch has changed “from divide and rule to provide and rule”, with the saffron parties’ talk of Marathi asmita (pride) losing traction. “Till about 2006-07, Valentine’s Day was taboo in Thane-Kalyan. All that is history now and the focus is on infra upgrade,” said Salunkhe.

Navi Mumbai, the economic engine and education hub of Thane district, saw its population grow from 7 lakh in 2001 to over 15 lakh in 2015, with Marathi speakers sharing space with a sizeable migrant population.

“The tall residential buldings on Palm Beach Road, the new complexes in Nerul and Belapur, they all have a completely diverse mix of population. The people here prefer inclusive politics and talk about development and employment,” the political analyst said.