The presence of former cricketer Vinod Kambli and television host Aadesh Bandekar in the electoral fray has spiced up the election campaign in Mumbai for October 13 Maharashtra polls.
The presence of former cricketer Vinod Kambli and popular television host Aadesh Bandekar in the electoral fray has spiced up the election campaign in Mumbai for October 13 Maharashtra polls.
Political baptism for both the stars is not easy as they face tough opponents in their respective constituencies.
Bandekar who joined the Shiv Sena less than a month ago, is facing Sada Sarvankar (Congress) and Raj Thackeray confidante suave Nitin Sardesai of MNS in Mahim constituency in central Mumbai.
The constituency, which was earlier called Dadar, comprises areas like Mahim, Matunga Road, Dadar and Prabhadevi where the famed Siddhivinayak temple is situated.
Sarvankar, who was the sitting Sena MLA, switched sides to the Congress after he was denied ticket and was immediately fielded as Congress candidate.
Irate supporters of Sarvankar had staged demonstrations outside the house of senior leader Manohar Joshi because it was speculated that he was instrumental in getting the leadership to deny ticket to Sarvankar in favour of his supporter Milind Vaidya.
Ex-Sena leader and presently the state industries minister Narayan Rane has thrown his weight behind Sarvankar and decided to pool in all his energies in this constituency to ensure a major embarrasment for his erstwhile party.Bandekar is the hand picked candidate of Rane's foe Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray.
Water shortage, re-development of chawls, crumbling infrastructure are some of the issues facing the constituency.
Shiv Sena has scored over its rivals to boost its electoral prospects with glamour quotient having Bandekar who hosts the popular '
Home Minister' and '
Hafta Bandh' reality shows,
Indian Idol Abhijit Sawant and actor-filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar.
Kambli is contesting on the Lok Bharti party ticket from Vikhroli in suburban Mumbai. The party is member of the Republican Left Democratic Front (RLDF).
Vikhroli, situated in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai comprises mainly Maharashtrians, Muslims, North Indians residing in middle class localities, old MHADA colonies like
Kannamwar nagar, Tagore Nagar and slum pockets situated on hillocks.
He is pitted against ex-Mayor Datta Dalvi of Shiv Sena, MNS corporator Mangesh Sangale and Pallavi Patil, wife of sitting Mumbai North East MP Sanjay Patil of the NCP.
Interestingly, Shishir Shinde of MNS was leading the Vikhroli Assembly segment in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
"It is an open and tough contest. All four candidates are good and anybody can win," said a local NCP leader.
Kambli is depending upon his star appeal, Dalit background to woo the Dalit voters especially the youth, which form a sizeable chunk of voters. Vikhroli comprises all areas of Vikhroli east and west including Kannamwar Nagar, Tagore Nagar, Surya Nagar, portion of Hiranandani Garden, near the Hiranandani hospital till the IIT-Mumbai complex.
Kambli is focussing on door-to-door campaign and is on 'padyatras' for six hours in the evenings.
In the mornings, he meets important citizens and leaders in the constituencies to prepare his electoral strategies.
He is promising the electorate better facilities for sportsmen, medical and educational facilities. "I will fight for the commercialisation of education," he promises his voters. Whereas Bandekar hopes to keep his campaign positive focussing issues concerning lives of ordinary Mumbaikars when 'tower culture' is taking a toll.
"My challenge is to ensure that I live up to the expectations of the people and my party rather than worrying about my opponents who have only negative thoughts," he told
PTI.
Aware of the heavy duty political face off during the campaign, Bandekar plans to keep his calm and patience. "I will be aggressive when there is injustice," he said.
In the Lok Sabha polls, Mahim Assembly segment stood by the Shiv Sena while in all other five Assembly constituencies, Congress's Eknath Gaikwad established a comfortable lead over his Sena and MNS rivals.
Mahim saw a tough contest between MNS, Congress and Shiv Sena. Sena took a sizeable lead of over 9000 votes over the Congress rival.
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