Maharashtra polls: Mumbai candidates wrap up their campaigns

Bike rallies, padyatras, door-to-door campaigns, social media messages — the city’s election campaign fever was at an all-time high on Saturday despite the rain,

Bike rallies, padyatras, door-to-door campaigns, social media messages — the city’s election campaign fever was at an all-time high on Saturday despite the rain, with candidates across the 36 constituencies making the most of their last campaigning day before Maharashtra goes to polls on October 21. Political parties contesting the elections are supposed to stop campaigning 48 hours before the poll day, according to the model code of conduct.

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During the first half of the day, candidates did door-to-door campaigns; distributed pamphlets; recorded voice messages for circulation; and had vans decorated with party symbols making rounds on the streets, urging people to vote even as rain played spoilsport.

IN SOUTH MUMBAI

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray took out several rallies on Saturday — in Worli, from where he will contest his first election; Dharavi; Sion; Bandra; and Chandivli.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Mumbai unit president, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, organised a rally in his home constituency, Malabar Hill. “I am moving around the city campaigning for my party. I was in Malabar Hill and Colaba on Saturday morning, in Sion Koliwada in the afternoon, and in other constituencies later.” Lodha also recorded a personalised social media voice messages for his voters.

Congress’s Amin Patel from Mumbadevi constituency, BJP’s Rahul Narvekar and Congress’s Ashok Jagtap from Colaba were also seen hitting the streets.

Sena candidate from Shivadi, Ajay Choudhari, and BJP candidate from Sion Koliwada, Tamil Selvan, organised bike rallies. In Byculla, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen’s (AIMIM) Waris Pathan, however, had to cancel his bike rally owing to the rain. “I was campaigning and meeting all sections of the people personally,” he said. In Dadar, which houses the Sena’s headquarters, party leader Sada Sarvankar and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)’s Sandeep Deshpande held roadshows.

IN EASTERN SUBURBS

The Thackeray family’s home constituency, Bandra East, was abuzz with candidates from all parties taking out roadshows. While the much-talked-about Sena candidate from Bandra, Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeswar toured the constituency on Saturday morning, the MNS organised a roadshow there. Congress’s Zeeshan Siddique came out with his rally and Sena rebel, Trupti Sawant, fighting as an independent candidate, took out her own padyatra.

The city’s richest candidate, Parag Shah, organised a ‘maha rally’ in the Ghatkopar East constituency along with former Mumbai North-East MP Kirit Somaiya. In other parts of the eastern suburbs, Sena’s Sunil Raut held a mega rally covering Vikhroli constituency, and Congress’ Suresh Koparkar, a former corporator contesting from Bhandup West, was seen holding a roadshow. Koparkar also continued a ‘missed-call’ campaign, asking people to give a missed call in his support this election. In Mulund, MNS’s Harshala Chavan and BJP’s Mihir Kotecha also came out with mega rallies.

Sitting MLA and Samajwadi Party’s candidate Abu Azmi toured around Mankhurd and Shivaji Nagar, leading a bike rally, with minivans and public announcement systems to reach out to his voters. Congress candidate and Chandivali’s sitting MLA, Naseem Khan, led a bike rally in Sakinaka, Chandivli, Tunga and Powai areas, while Sena’s Tukaram Kate, contesting from Anushkati Nagar, organised roadshows and held a public meeting in Vashi Naka, Chembur. Nawab Malik, NCP’s candidate from Anushakti Nagar, also went door to door to meet voters and put up a roadshow.

Chembur’s Sena candidate Prakash Phaterpekar said, “I had a roadshow covering areas from Chembur station to Mahul.”

Mangesh Kudalkar, sitting Sena MLA from Kurla took out a bike rally in Kurla East, Nehru Nagar, Chunabhatti and Shrushti Nagar, and also circulated videos on social networking sites, urging residents to vote. Sena’s Sanjay Potnis was seen walking with BJP MP from North Central Lok Sabha constituency, Poonam Mahajan, in a rally from Vakola in Santacruz (East) to Air India Colony in Kalina. “It was pouring heavily but still we conducted the rally for four hours,” Potnis said.

Sitting MLA of Versova, BJP’s Bharati Lavekar led a rally of 1,000 bikes to reach out to her voters. Lavekar’s campaign manager and local councillor, Yogiraj Dabhadar, said, “Despite the rain, we had around 1,000 bikes in the rally. It was fun to go around the constituency on bikes during the rain.” Lavekar’s competitor, independent candidate Rajul Patel, took out a padyatra with her supporters to greet voters in slums and housing societies. “This way I can reach out to my voters directly,” said Patel.

IN WESTERN SUBURBS

In some of the western suburbs, rallies could begin by Saturday afternoon owing to the rain. In Andheri West, sitting BJP MLA Ameet Satam discussed local issues with around 400 citizens who represent ALMs (local advanced locality management) and NGOs, while Congress’ Ashok Bhau Jadhav took to the streets with his followers in Nehru Nagar, Gilbert Hill, near Andheri station to personally reach out to voters. In Andheri East, Congress’s Jagdish Kutty was out with his motorcade, while independent candidate Murji Patel conducted a public meeting. Patel said, “Traffic is a major issue in my constituency and so I did not want to add to it by carrying out a bike rally.”

Ravindra Waikar, contesting from Jogeshwari East, met voters at his office. Aslam Shaikh, sitting MLA from Malad East, former Mumbai mayor Sunil Prabhu and Sena candidate from Dhindoshi hit the streets with their rallies and met voters at their offices. In Goregaon, Congress candidate Yuvaraj Mohite led a bike rally from Ghas Bazar in the east to the west. In Kandivli, Borivali, Charkop, and Magathane, candidates were seen taking out padyatras. Sitting MLA Yogesh Sagar organised an ‘Ashirwad Yatra’ in Charkop. “We are happy to see the enthusiasm of voters,” Sagar said. Sitting Sena MLA from Magathane conducted a bike rally from Ketkipada in Dahisar to Kandivli.