Shinde Sena's Family-First Strategy Stumbles in Mumbai BMC Elections
Mumbai witnessed a significant setback for the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the recent Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. The party's reliance on family-first politics proved largely unsuccessful as numerous kin of sitting and former MLAs and MPs faced defeat at the ballot box.
Prominent Losses Highlight Electoral Failure
Despite contesting only ninety seats, the Shinde faction saw its electoral landscape dominated by family connections. Eight current and former legislators secured tickets for their relatives, but most failed to deliver victories.
- Former MP Rahul Shewale's sister-in-law, Vaishali Nayan Shewale, contested from Chembur's ward 183 and lost.
- Former MLA Sada Saravankar's children, Samadhan and Priya, contested from Worli and Mahim wards 194 and 191 respectively, both suffering defeat.
- Jai Kudalkar, son of Kurla MLA Mangesh Kudalkar, lost from ward 169 in Kurla.
- Sena MP Ravindra Waikar's daughter, Deepti Waikar-Pontis, was defeated in Jogeshwari's ward 73.
Additional losses included Bhandup MLA Ashok Patil's son Rupesh Patil in ward 113 and former corporator Deepak Hande's wife Ashwini Hande in Ghatkopar's ward 128. These candidates lost to the combined opposition of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
Isolated Victories Amid Widespread Defeats
Not all family candidates faced disappointment. A few managed to secure wins, providing some relief to the Shinde camp.
- Former MLA Yamini Jadhav, despite losing recent Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, won the BMC poll from Byculla.
- Meenal Turde, wife of former Sena corporator Sanjay Turde, emerged victorious from Kurla's ward 166.
- Vanita Narwankar, wife of former Sena corporator Datta Narwankar, won from Worli's ward 197, becoming one of the few Shinde Sena candidates to succeed in that area.
- Shaila Lande, wife of Shiv Sena MLA from Chandivli Dilip Lande, won from ward 163 in Chandivai.
Political Observers Analyze the Trend
Experts attribute this widespread family ticket distribution to the unique circumstances of this BMC election. The polls featured a multi-cornered contest, creating opportunities for sitting MLAs to exert influence.
Political observers note that parties struggled to find strong candidates, leading netas to extend family quotas beyond immediate relatives. They secured nominations for in-laws and cousins, not just spouses and siblings.
"Usually, family tickets are reserved for first family members," explained one political analyst. "This time, with NCP absent from Mahayuti and Congress fighting alone in MVA, a scramble for seats occurred. Senior leaders seized this chance to flex their muscles and secure tickets for kin. They convinced parties there were no alternatives, and parties acquiesced to avoid risks."
The election results suggest that while family connections can secure nominations, they do not guarantee electoral success in Mumbai's complex political landscape.
