Even though the major alliances are yet to agree on a seat-sharing arrangement, several candidates in the city have kicked off low-profile campaigns in their respective constituency because they have less than three weeks left to reach out to voters.
Though the elections are scheduled to be held on October 15 and the returning officers started accepting nominations on Saturday, four prominent parties – Congress, NCP, BJP and Shiv Sena – are yet to announce their candidates because they have not reached a seat-sharing agreement with their respective allies as yet. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena too has not declared its candidates. But several sitting legislators from these parties, who are sure of getting re-nominated, have started reaching out to voters in different ways –from report cards to informal meetings with citizens.
“Our workers are reaching out to voters to inform them about the large-scale development work carried out by the state government in the past 15 years,” said Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan, Congress legislator from Chandivli, who is also guardian minister of the Mumbai suburban district.
“I have already commissioned the distribution of report cards and smaller meetings in my constituency,” said Nawab Malik, MLA from Anushaktinagar and NCP spokesperson. Mulund’s BJP MLA Sardar Tara Singh has also sent his report card to every household in his constituency.
{{/usCountry}}“I have already commissioned the distribution of report cards and smaller meetings in my constituency,” said Nawab Malik, MLA from Anushaktinagar and NCP spokesperson. Mulund’s BJP MLA Sardar Tara Singh has also sent his report card to every household in his constituency.
{{/usCountry}}Those contesting for the first time are depending on their clean image. “We are asking voters to uproot the corrupt government by voting for non-corrupt and educated candidates,” said Imtiyaz Aniz, MNS ticket hopeful from Mumbadevi. Some existing MLAs, such as Tara Singh, have already started door-to-door campaigning.