The big issue weighing on Congress’ mind is whether the delimitation will retain the voter profile
The reconstitution of the 288 assembly seats in the state has left the ruling Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) reeling, since the two will have to strike a hard bargain in order to contest the next state elections together.
Even, the Mumbai cadres are showing signs of restlessness.
The big issue weighing Congress' mind is whether the delimitation will retain the voter profile: Brahmin, Dalit and Muslims. The reconstitution of Mumbadevi into Colaba is already seen as a setback for Congress.
Naseem Khan, a Member of Legislative Assembly from Kurla, whose assembly seat has been bifurcated into Chandivali and Ghatkopar, is putting up a brave face.
"I am a grassroots worker," he said. "The geographical boundaries will not change the voting profile in my constituency."
Another Congress MLA Sanjay Deotale in distant Chandrapur said, "Elections will be guided by issues and ground work of a political leader, and not necessarily the changes in the constituencies."
But, MLAs appear relieved the delimitation exercise has limited the population in each constituency to 3-3.5 lakh.
Each MLA will now be able to make better use of the Rs 80 lakh local area development funds.
"Earlier, every MLA was sanctioned Rs 80 lakh irrespective of whether his constituency had one lakh or eight lakh constituents," Khan said.
"After reorganisation, each MLA will have equal amount for the same number of people."
New seats in suburbs cheer Oppn
Prashant Hamine
It is a win-win situation for the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena alliance -- at least in Mumbai -- considering the draft delimitation of the Assembly constituencies drawn up by the Delimitation Commission.
The carving up of the proposed new constituencies has brought a spring in the stride of the saffron alliance leadership.
On the other hand, the Congress and NCP leadership has become restless. Because in the redrawing process, parts of their earlier constituencies are being merged into strongholds of their own party rivals or that of their rivals in the NCP and in the Sena-BJP seats.
For the Sena-BJP, the carving up of new constituencies in Mumbai suburban district is a blessing in disguise.
Constituencies like Bandra, Santa Cruz, Andheri, Trombay, Amboli and Kandivali which had a mixed voter population, have now been carved out into newer constituencies like Vandre East, Vandre West, Versova, Andheri East, Andheri West, Charkop, Dahisar and Malad West.
Most newer assembly constituencies have a sizeable Hindutva vote bank.
State Chief Electoral Officer U P S Madan told DNA the Commission had to start the process from the scratch and create altogether new constituencies.
He added care had been taken to ensure that the Taluka and Revenue circle were not disturbed to a great extent.
Commenting upon the complaints being made by political parties and leaders, he denied that the process was done in a haphazard manner.
Gainers and Losers
Likely prominent losers
Deputy CM: R R Patil - Tasgaon
Minister for Revenue - Narayan Rane - Malwan
Assembly Speaker - Babasaheb Kupekar - Gadhinglaj
ABS chief - Arun Gulab Gawli - Chinchpokli
Constituency loss due to reservation
Minister for Rural Development - Vijaysinha Mohite-Patil - Malshiras (now SC)
Minister for Water Resources - Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar - Phaltan (SC)
State NCP chief Arun Gujarathi - Chopda (SC)
Affected by split in constituencies
Minister for Revenue - Narayan Rane - Malwan constituency is now known Kankavli.
Minister of State for Food & Drugs Administration - Baba Siddiqque - Vandre (Bandra) constituency now split into Bandra East and Bandra West.
Ex-Congress minister Kripashankar Singh - Santa Cruz constituency redrawn, now known Kalina constituency.
- Prashant Hamine
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