It’s largely BJP versus Shiv Sena (UBT) in Mumbai

Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded sitting MP Arvind Sawant in the prestigious Mumbai South constituency where the ruling alliance is yet to decide its candidate

MUMBAI: With the Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena announcing four candidates for Mumbai’s Lok Sabha seats, it now appears that the metropolis will largely see a contest between BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) in Mumbai. BJP is also aiming to contest four out of six seats in Mumbai.

Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded sitting MP Arvind Sawant in the prestigious Mumbai South constituency where the ruling alliance is yet to decide its candidate. Sawant, who was union minister in the Narendra Modi government post 2019 elections, is seeking a third term. Thackeray has picked new faces for two other constituencies that Shiv Sena won in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with BJP.

Senior leader Anil Desai will contest from Mumbai South Central, in his first LS election. He will be pitted against chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena’s sitting MP Rahul Shewale. In Mumbai North West constituency, Thackeray has fielded a young leader Amol Kirtikar. His father Gajanan Kirtikar, the current MP, is with the Shinde-led Sena. In this constituency too the ruling alliance is considering options as the senior Kirtikar has refused to contest the election.

Thackeray’s fourth candidate in Mumbai is Sanjay Patil from Mumbai North East. His party is contesting in the constituency spread from Mulund to Chembur in the eastern suburbs for the first time. In the saffron alliance, BJP had won this constituency.

BJP on the other hand, has already announced the candidature of union minister Piyush Goyal in Mumbai North and Mulund MLA Mihir Kotecha for Mumbai North East.

In 2014 and 2019 elections, it had won three seats--Mumbai North, North East and North Central. The party is yet to decide its candidate for Mumbai North Central – it’s a toss-up between sitting MP Poonam Mahajan and a new face. Besides, the BJP and its allies are yet to decide which party would contest Mumbai South and North West seats. Earlier, the party had asked assembly speaker and Colaba MLA Rahul Narwekar to prepare for the election but now it is weighing other options, including fielding an MNS candidate from the constituency that is spread from Colaba-Cuffe Parade to Worli to Marathi heartland of Parel-Lalbaug.