BJP leader Kirit Somaiya could not hide his elation on Thursday, taking to social media to celebrate a significant development in the Mumbai civic polls. His son, sitting corporator Neil Somaiya, appears to have gained a substantial advantage in the electoral battle for Ward No. 107 in Mulund.
A Clear Field for the BJP Scion
Kirit Somaiya's triumphant post highlighted that four major political forces—Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT), Raj Thackeray's MNS, Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP), and Rahul Gandhi's Congress—did not field candidates against Neil. This situation arose from a complex web of alliances and a rejected nomination. As part of the opposition 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' understanding, Ward 107 was allocated to the NCP (SP). The party named Bharat Vanani as its candidate, but his nomination form was rejected by authorities, leading to his disqualification.
The Congress, which is in an alliance with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) for these polls, has its candidate Vaishali Sapkal in the fray. However, the absence of a heavyweight from the major alliance partners is seen as a boon for the BJP. Returning Officer Ujwala Bhagat confirmed that 13 valid nominations were filed for the ward, with four of them coming from Neil Somaiya himself. "There is one VBA candidate, while the rest are independent candidates," Bhagat stated.
Alliance Dynamics and Past Victories
Neil Somaiya, who previously won from the adjacent Ward No. 108 in the 2017 civic elections, is now seeking a second term from this new constituency. The political landscape has shifted significantly since the last polls. In January 2023, the VBA had allied with the Shiv Sena for civic elections, but that partnership dissolved in 2024. When questioned about any current understanding with the Shiv Sena, VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar clarified that his party has no alliance with either Shiv Sena or the MNS.
The ripple effects of alliance politics and candidate selection are visible elsewhere in Mumbai too. In a interesting twist, Shiv Sena MLA from Andheri East, Muraji Patel, finds his wife, Kesarben, contesting from Ward No. 81 on a BJP ticket. Furthermore, his former personal assistant, Prakash Musale, is the BJP candidate from Ward No. 76. Both these wards fall within Patel's own assembly constituency.
BJP's 'Winnability' Factor and Second Chances
Defending these candidacies, Patel emphasized that merit and the potential to win were the deciding factors. "Every party chooses its candidate, and Musale is not my PA; he is the BJP's deputy district president," Patel explained. This focus on 'winnability' has been a recurring theme in the BJP's candidate selection process for the Mumbai polls.
However, the party has also shown a tendency to reward loyalty and give second chances. At least four candidates who lost the 2017 election have been given tickets again. These include Prakash Darekar (Ward No. 3) and Nisha Parulekar-Bangera (Ward No. 25), both considered close to MLC Pravin Darekar, as well as Ritu Tawde (Ward No. 132) and Shakeel Ansari (Ward No. 211). Notably, Ansari, who would have been the party's sole Muslim candidate, missed the nomination deadline this time and failed to file his papers.
The developments in Ward 107 underscore the critical role of alliance management and nomination technicalities in Indian elections. With the major opposition players absent from the direct contest, Neil Somaiya's campaign is now primarily focused on independent candidates and the VBA's Vaishali Sapkal, potentially smoothing his path to victory.
