BMC Polls Set for Intense Battles as Reservation Shuffles Force Veteran Corporators to New Turfs
Mumbai prepares for a dramatic Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election on January 15. Over 1,700 contestants will vie for 227 municipal wards in what promises to be a fiercely competitive poll. A unique feature this time is the direct clash between sitting corporators in several key wards, triggered largely by changes in reservation categories.
Reservation Changes Displace Seasoned Politicians
Many veteran corporators find themselves contesting from unfamiliar territories. Sujata Patekar, previously a Shiv Sena (UBT) councillor from ward 4, now contests from ward 5 in Magathane area. She explains this shift clearly. "My earlier ward got reserved for OBC candidates through lottery, while I belong to the open category. Since I had won from seat 5 back in 2012, I chose to contest here again," Patekar states.
Similarly, Ravi Raja, a five-time corporator and former Leader of Opposition, lost his home turf in ward 176 due to reservation changes. Now contesting on a BJP ticket from ward 185 in Dharavi, he faces sitting corporator T M Jagdish of Shiv Sena (UBT). Raja expresses confidence despite the new ground. "The previous corporator did negligible work and remained invisible for years. Dharavi issues are familiar to me as it's near my old area, plus my 25-year BMC experience helps," he asserts.
Alliance Dynamics Add to the Complexity
Ward 225 in Colaba presents an intriguing scenario. Here, the Mahayuti alliance partners battle each other. Sitting corporator Sujata Sanap seeks re-election on a Shinde-led Sena ticket, while BJP's Harshita Narvekar, former corporator from ward 226, contests from this ward. Narvekar cites reservation changes and developmental needs as reasons. "We need holistic development in Colaba. Issues like traffic congestion, footpath encroachments, garbage management, and old building redevelopment require urgent attention," she emphasizes.
In Kurla's ward 165, Congress's sitting corporator Ashraf Azmi faces NCP's Kaptan Malik, who moved from ward 170 after it got reserved for OBC ladies. Meanwhile, Sion Koliwada's ward 180 sees UBT's sitting corporator Smita Gaonkar battling Trushna Vishwasrao, former leader of the house now contesting on Shinde Sena ticket.
Political Analyst Explains the Unusual Phenomenon
Surendra Jondhale, a noted political analyst, calls this an unusual phenomenon. He attributes the intense competition to the prolonged delay in civic polls. "BMC elections are happening after nearly nine years. Political aspirations have sharpened considerably. Corporators have tasted power and recognize the lucrative nature of BMC's massive budget. Even with delayed elections, their desire to retain seats has grown more competitive," Jondhale observes.
The stage is set for a memorable election day. Mumbai voters will decide which corporators navigate these reshuffled battlegrounds successfully.
