Maharashtra polls: Six-time MLA Lodha faces first-timer from Uddhav's Sena in Malabar Hill

In Mumbai, BJP's Mangal Prabhat Lodha faces Shiv Sena's Bherulal Choudhary in a heated election, with both focusing on redevelopment and community issues

MUMBAI: The high-profile and affluent constituency is set for a fierce contest between six-time-victorious sitting MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha from the BJP and debutant politician Bherulal Choudhary from the Shiv Sena (UBT). Adding intrigue to the battle, Lodha’s wife hails from Bhinmal, the same village in Rajasthan as Choudhary, leading the Jain community and local residents to view the rivalry as a symbolic clash between brothers-in-law.

Six-time MLA Lodha faces first-timer from Sena (UBT) in Malabar Hill

Choudhary, a solicitor and practising advocate for 32 years, has been providing free legal aid to residents in his constituency. Among the issues he is addressing is redevelopment. “My top priority is to streamline the redevelopment process to ensure everyone gets a home,” he said. “My constituency is not just about high-rises; it is also about older buildings like Simla House and chawls, which face redevelopment challenges. Khetwadi, for instance, has limited FSI due to its plot size and road access. I aim to introduce legislation to simplify the redevelopment process.”

Choudhary contested the Mumbai University elections in 1990 and 1991 from Government Law College, where he was associated with the Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, the student wing of the Shiv Sena. “I started my career with university elections,” he explained. “Afterwards, I focused on my legal practice and later entered club politics. This is my debut into direct politics.”

Choudhary began his Sunday campaigning at 6 am with rallies at five temples, including a walk from Walkeshwar to Nana Chowk. He also engages in door-to-door campaigning.

The solicitor expressed respect for his rival Lodha. “I want to run a positive campaign,” he said. “Lodhasaab has always had Shiv Sena backing, and this time, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress are together. Both of us belong to the Jain community. In fact, I’m from Bhinmal in Rajasthan, the village where Lodhasab’s wife is from—so he’s our *jamai* (son-in-law).”

Lodha too organised an Ekta rally on Sunday from August Kranti Maidan to Opera House. He unveiled his comprehensive manifesto, which proposes the creation of forests on the 500 acres surrounding the Coastal Road and Mahalaxmi Racecourse to enhance air quality, reduce pollution, and provide high-quality open spaces. To address the growing traffic congestion around Breach Candy, Lodha plans to open an additional entry point to the Coastal Road near MSRDC.

The manifesto stresses on the renovation of the Malabar Hill reservoir, with a commitment to preserving the gardens. To ensure consistent and sufficient water supply, it focuses on the timely completion of water infrastructure projects, including upgrading pipelines and reservoirs.

Lodha has proposed an amnesty scheme with regard to Occupation Certificates to resolve disputes that arise from misinterpretations by developers. Another priority is to streamline the renewal process for government and collector plots in the city. With many old buildings in Malabar Hill wanting to go in for redevelopment, he has advocated a simplification of the existing rules.

Lodha claims he is committed to making Malabar Hill more pedestrian-friendly by clearing encroachments from footpaths. He has also proposed a relaxation of the photo fine policy enforced by the traffic department. Specifically, he suggests allowing parking near society buildings after 10 pm and ensuring that commercial vehicles are parked only in designated areas.

The MLA has called for the inclusion of ‘Rahivasi Dakhla’ (residential certificates) holders of various communities who have been residing in the area since 1956 to be considered for benefits under SC/ST categories. His manifesto also includes the modernisation of key railway stations such as Grant Road, Charni Road, and Mumbai Central with the installation of escalators and lifts.