Maharashtra polls: What Mumbai’s 36 assembly seats have on offer
As Maharashtra elections approach, Mumbai sees heightened political activity with 70+ candidates vying for votes across 36 constituencies
Mumbai: With less than two weeks to go before the Maharashtra assembly elections, political rallies and road shows of various sizes are becoming a common sight in the city. A number of incumbent MLAs, former corporators and a few fresh faces are taking to the streets, meeting the electorate and putting their case forward ahead of polling day on November 20.
HT has dissected what the 36 constituencies in Mumbai will have on offer for over 8.5 million voters, including the demographics of the candidates pitched by the two main coalitions in the fight — the Mahayuti, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (SP).
Only 13 women and 10 Muslim candidates have been given tickets by the bigwigs, out of the pie of 70-plus candidates. Most seats have their incumbent MLAs contesting, with many candidates having their beginnings in politics as BMC corporators. An overwhelming majority are over 50, with the average age being 54.87 years. And while it might seem like the choice is between a binary, voters have been six and 22 candidates to choose from, with one constituency having as many as 14 independents.
Constituencies with:
Most candidates: 22 - Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar and Jogeshwari East
Most independents: 14 - Jogeshwari East; 13 - Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar
Least candidates: 6 - Chembur, Mahim, Vile Parle
Least independents: 0 - Chembur
BJP vs Congress: 8 - Mulund, Kandivali East, Charkop, Malad West, Andheri West, Vandre West, Sion Koliwada, Colaba
Shiv Sena vs Shiv Sena (UBT): 11 - Magathane, Vikhroli, Bhandup West, Jogeshwari East, Dindoshi, Andheri East, Chembur, Kurla, Mahim, Worli, Byculla
NCP vs NCP (SP): 1 - Anushakti Nagar
No Mahayuti candidate: Shivadi
Reserved for Scheduled Castes: Dharavi, Kurla
Candidates from MVA and Mahayuti:
Oldest: 71 - Kalidas Kolambkar, BJP, Wadala; Ajay Choudhari, Shiv Sena (UBT), Shivadi
Oldest woman: 67 - Suvarna Karanje, Shiv Sena, Vikhroli
Youngest: 30 - Fahad Ahmad, NCP (SP), Anushakti Nagar
Youngest woman: 37 - Sana Malik, NCP, Anushakti Nagar
Average age of candidates: 54.87
Incumbents: (to add)
Former corporators: (to add)
Women: 13
Manisha Chaudhary, 62, BJP, Dahisar
Manisha Waikar, 61, Shiv Sena, Jogeshwari East
Suvarna Karanje, 67, Shiv Sena, Vikhroli
Vidya Thakur, 63, BJP, Goregaon
Bharati Lavekar, 58, BJP, Versova
Rutuja Lakte, 47, Shiv Sena (UBT), Andheri East
Rakhee Jadhav, 48, NCP (SP), Ghatkopar East
Sana Malik, 37, NCP, Anushakti Nagar
Pravina Morajkar, 54, Shiv Sena (UBT), Kurla
Jyoti Gaikwad, 47, Congress, Dharavi
Shraddha Jadhav, 60, Shiv Sena (UBT), Wadala
Yamini Jadhav, 57, Shiv Sena, Byculla
Shaina NC, 52, Shiv Sena, Mumbadevi