Alliance helped BJP, Shiv Sena up their vote share in Mumbai

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena combine lost several seats in various parts of Maharashtra on Thursday, in Mumbai, their alliance led to an increase

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena combine lost several seats in various parts of Maharashtra on Thursday, in Mumbai, their alliance led to an increase in the vote share of the two parties as compared to 2014, when they had contested separately. Both parties share a similar vote base.

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The BJP and the Sena won 30 of the 36 seats in Mumbai in 2019. Of this, Sena won in 14 of the 19 seats it contested from, while the BJP won in 16 of the 17 seats. The saffron combine had won 29 seats in 2014, when both parties had contested independently.

However, in a couple of seats such as Ghatkopar West and Versova, Sena rebels fighting as independent candidates ate into the BJP’s vote share.

This time, the BJP’s vote share in Dahisar, Borivali, Vile Parle, Mulund and Colaba constituencies was 64.87%, 74.54%, 61.03%, 56.46% and 53.85%, respectively. In the 2014 Assembly polls, the party’s vote share in these constituencies was 48.31%, 60.50%, 48.99%, 54.79% and 44.86% respectively.

Other seats where the BJP’s vote share increased in 2019 as compared to 2014, include Malabar Hill, Andheri West, Kandivali East, Goregaon, Charkop, Bandra West, Ghatkopar East and Sion.

The Sena’s vote share increased in Magathane (59.59% as compared to 40.09% in 2014), Mahim (49.45% from 33.97% in 2014), Dindoshi (52.61% from 35.47% in 2014), Sewri (57.77% from 49.27% in 2014) and Worli (69.41% from 40.90% in 2014).

Other seats where Sena’s vote share increased in 2019 include Vikhroli, Kalina, Jogeshwari East, Andheri East, Bhandup west, Chembur and Kurla.

One of the major seats where the saffron combine lost owing to the presence of a rebel is Bandra East — the home seat of the Thackeray family. Sena candidate and Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar lost owing to the division of votes, thanks to rebel candidate and sitting Sena MLA Trupti Sawant. She contested as an Independent after the Sena denied her re-nomination and fielded Mahadeshwar. Congress’s Zeeshan Siddique, who polled 38,337 votes, defeated Mahadeshwar (32, 547 votes) by around 5,000 votes. Sawant bagged 24,071 votes.

In Versova, Sena corporator Rajul Patel fought as an Independent against BJP’s Bharati Lavekar. In 2014, Lavekar had polled 41.92 % votes, while in 2019, the figure went down to 33.98%.

The reason was the division of votes between Lavekar and Patel — a four-time corporator from the area — who polled 27.07% of the votes this time.

In Ghatkopar West, Sena rebel Sanjay Bhalerao contesting as an Independent ate into BJP MLA Ram Kadam’s vote share. Kadam had joined the party from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in 2014. While in 2014, the BJP had bagged a vote share of 50.29%, in 2019, the figure dipped to 47.21%. Bhalerao polled 27.75% of the votes.

Surendra Jondhale, a political analyst, said, “In Mumbai, the Congress, which had a strong presence, is facing a leadership crisis and this helped the saffron alliance to increase the vote share. However, in rural Maharashtra, the Sharad Pawar factor worked, and his aggressive campaign ensured the saffron alliance did not make a big dent like before. The Congress, however, has not gained when compared with their 2014 performance.”