Maharashtra polls: Citizens get into the fray against seasoned players

Facing political apathy, Mumbai citizens are running grassroots campaigns for local elections, prioritizing community needs over established politicians

Mumbai: In the face of growing apathy towards elected representatives who have failed to deliver on their promises of addressing core issues in certain pockets of Mumbai and its suburbs, many citizens have decided to take over the reins to bring about change.

Many citizens have decided to take over the reins to bring about change.. ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

They feel their voices are overlooked and crucial problems—such as local infrastructure, healthcare, education and safety—remain unresolved with the passing of every election cycle. This disconnect has inspired a shift in grassroots activism, leading to citizen groups and residents’ associations choosing to put forward their own candidates for the upcoming assembly elections. According to them, their chosen candidates are more aligned to local needs and have a better connect with citizens than seasoned politicians.

HT looks at four such constituencies where activists have been pitted against seasoned politicians.

Vote for clean city

Candidate: Gopal Jhaveri, president of Mumbai March, an NGO that fights for environmental issues

Constituency: Magathane

Party symbol: Coconut farm

Gopal Jhaveri, 52, has spent the last 14 years engaging in issues related to environment conservation, and has received the Jal Rakshak award from the ministry of environment in 2020.

He is running as an independent candidate from the 154 Magathane constituency “to address Mumbai’s many environment-related issues, improve infrastructure and work toward a zero-slum city”. He said, in the last over a decade-and-a-half, each time he or a member of his team approached politicians or government officials to solve issues of potholes, tree-cutting, protecting open spaces and manhole covers, and ensuring quality healthcare, or school education, they have only faced endless delays and procrastination.

“We have worked across areas and have realised that our fight is not just for votes but for ourselves and the city,” said Jhaveri.

Jhaveri will contest against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Udesh Patekar, Shiv Sena’s Prakash Surve and MNS’s Nayan Kadam.

“An MLA’s role goes beyond organising ceremonial events or distributing kites and sarees. They should work to preserve Mumbai’s environment, improve BEST services and provide quality roads,” he said. “Their job is not to put up illegal posters with festive greetings. They need to achieve a zero-slum Mumbai and protect the hills in the periphery of the city. This, in fact, should be a part of the city’s development plan.”

Son of soil rises

Candidate: Advocate Abid Abbas Sayed, civic activist

Constituency: Mankhurd-Shivajinagar

Party symbol: Coat

Advocate Abid Abbas Sayed, 29, is the independent candidate from the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar constituency – an area that has faced neglect from civic authorities for long, partly because of its proximity to the Deonar dumping ground.

An NGO called Govandi New Sangham Welfare Society, headed by one Faiyyaz Alam Shaikh, filed a PIL against biomedical waste treatment plant planned by BMC at Baiganwadi, Govandi; Sayed coordinated the case with the team which the NGO won in September 2023.

“We succeeded in relocating the biomedical waste treatment plant from Govandi by filing a PIL,” Sayed said. “We also advocated for a cemetery in Deonar. While the government allocated land, developers with political connections attempted to reassign the piece of land to the state government and BMC.”

Sayed is up against noteworthy opponents, including incumbent MLA Abu Azmi from the Samajwadi Party, Nawab Malik from NCP, Suresh Patil (also known as Bullet Patil) from the Shiv Sena, and Ateeque Khan from AIMIM.

Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar, a Muslim-majority constituency, has 27 candidates, including an independent who is also named Nawab Malik, which is likely to confuse voters. Abu Azmi has held the MLA’s seat for 15 years despite not being a local resident.

Sayed belongs to the minority Shia community, which has never been represented in assembly or municipal elections. “There are 35,000 Shia voters across three municipal wards. This community, like many others, is politically marginalised. Our goal is to uplift not only our own but all backward communities,” he stated. “Govandi’s history has revealed that for three decades, outsiders with financial clout and made this part of Mumbai’s suburb their political playing field. As a result of this, local issues have remained unresolved. We aim to bring change and demonstrate that even the middle class can run for office,” he said.

Run for fair education

Candidate: Nitin Dalvi, an RTE activist

Constituency: Mahim

Party symbol: Binoculars

Nitin Dalvi, 45, president of the Mumbai division of the Maharashtra State Student Parents’ Education Federation, decided to throw himself into the electoral fray, “unable to bear the injustices faced by parents and students” at the hands of managements of educational institutions.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, when private schools did not receive fees from parents, they suspended students’ education by not issuing hall tickets, marksheets and school leaving certificates. There are 19 regulations under the Right to Education Act, and after I raised the issue, 218 schools were required to comply by them,” said Dalvi.

Dalvi has chosen a constituency that is already crowded by near-celebrity contenders – MNS’s Amit Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Mahesh Sawant and Shiv Sena’s Sada Sarvankar.

“I know that the road ahead is tough but I am not discouraged. Parents of students have encouraged me to run because I’ve been working tirelessly for their cause over the past two years,” said Dalvi.

Listen to Sion

Candidate: Pramit Mehta, entrepreneur

Constituency: Sion-Koliwada

Party symbol: Binoculars

Facing elected representatives’ apathy, the United Societies of Sion, a citizens’ group, has put forward an independent candidate, Pramit Mehta, 41, from Sion-Koliwada. Mehta’s symbol – binoculars -- he said, reflects his vision to solve the area’s many issues.

Mehta will contest against Congress’s Ganesh Yadav, BJP’s Capt. Tamil Selvan and MNS’s Sanjay Bhogle.

“My goal is to bring our votes and collective voice together so that we are no longer overlooked. More than winning, it is important to unify people and ensure the development of an area,” said Mehta. The area is beset by numerous issues -- from stalled redevelopment processes to illegal taxi parking and hawker issues. The reconstruction of the Sion bridge, for example, will have “massive consequence to traffic flow and quality of life in our area”.

As residents’ voices were unheard, there have been prolonged delays, increased pollution and an overall inconvenience. “It’s time for change and ensure that every one is included in decision-making processes that shape Sion’s future,” he added.

He added, through this newly-formed group, residents “can voice their concerns and demand accountability on issues like infrastructure, traffic management, urban amenities, and more”.