Chandivali: Seat that withstood Modi wave

Chandivali is one of the few constituencies in Mumbai that the Congress was able to retain amid the Modi wave in the 2014 Assembly polls. This time, when the Shiv

Chandivali is one of the few constituencies in Mumbai that the Congress was able to retain amid the Modi wave in the 2014 Assembly polls. This time, when the Shiv Sena and BJP are fighting in alliance, the Congress is expected to witness a close contest with the Sena.

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The constituency includes Powai, Kaju Pada, Saki Naka, Chandivali, Kurla Village, Tunga village, among other areas. After the delimitation in 2008, the constituency was separated from the Kurla Assembly segment. It is known to be a stronghold of the Congress for nearly two decades. The Chandivali constituency has 20 candidates in the fray.

Four-term MLA Arif Naseem Khan of the Congress is contesting against Sena’s Dilip Lande, who is said to be responsible for defection of five of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s corporators along with him to join the saffron party in 2018. In 2014, Khan had defeated Sena’s candidate Santosh Singh, by 30,000 votes. Khan is confident about his victory for the fifth time. “A majority of the population in my constituency is in constant touch with me as I am easily accessible,” he said.

Khan had defeated Lande in the 2009 Assembly elections, however, the latter had contested from the MNS and managed to secure 48,901 votes against Khan’s 82,616. He is a popular face among citizens and also one of the petitioners for implementation of the Srikrishna Commission report set up to probe the 1992-93 riots. Khan said, “I have been fighting slum dwellers on airport land, who are yet to be rehabilitated. The BJP-led state government has not been able to keep their promise of rehabilitating them.”

Lande, a three-term corporator from Kurla, is a former MNS group leader in the BMC and is known to have a good following among the Marathi population. A senior Congress leader said leaving MNS may go against Lande. He said, “MNS loyalists may not vote for him, which could lower his chances.”