Denied tickets, they stay loyal to their parties

Showing loyalty towards their parties, several leaders who were denied tickets to contest the civic polls, have been campaigning aggressively for candidates from their party. Naresh Kamath reports.

Showing loyalty towards their parties, several leaders who were denied tickets to contest the civic polls, have been campaigning aggressively for candidates from their party.

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Senior Congress corporator Dharmesh Vyas from Santacruz could be a case in point. Though MP Priya Dutt expressed her anguish over denial of ticket to Vyas, he has taken it sportingly. “I was mentally prepared since there were 32 aspirants. If the party wanted to give someone a chance, it is fair enough,” said Vyas.

His ill health notwithstanding, former mayor of Shiv Sena, Mahadeo Deole, distributes leaflets, shouts slogans and participates in padyatra for candidates from south and central Mumbai. “The party helped an ordinary citizen like me become a mayor. It is my duty to serve the Sena,” said Deole.

Former deputy mayor and BJP leader, Arun Deo, holds meeting with social workers and academicians in the Santacruz-Andheri belt. “I am wedded to the party’s ideology,” said Deo, adding that mishandling of selection mechanism is to be blamed for a spurt in rebels.

Congress corporator Shivji Singh, who was denied a ticket from Santacruz, termed it a temporary setback. “I am sure that the party will take care of me in the future. Civic election is not the end,” said Singh.

Political analysts say loyalists exist in all parties. “For many activists, life is not just contesting elections and getting elected,” said political commentator Nilu Damle.

This was the first time that a large number of rebels were seen across party lines. Even the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), both famous for their strong-arm tactics saw huge dissension in their ranks.