Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: MNS To Field Candidate Vs Aaditya Thackeray At Worli Seat

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande is expected to challenge Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray in Mumbai's Worli constituency during the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. MNS sources revealed this on August 4.

Worli, part of the Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency, is home to some India's wealthiest residents and features high-rises and bustling business hubs. However, it also has dilapidated chawls awaiting redevelopment, such as the Bombay Development Directorate (BDD) chawls and police colonies.

Focus on Worli's Development

Many slum rehabilitation projects in Worli are stalled, and some redeveloped buildings have not provided the promised monthly rentals to residents. Deshpande has been actively engaging with Worli residents to address these concerns.

On August 3, MNS president Raj Thackeray met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to discuss issues plaguing Worli. Following the meeting, Shinde directed officials to prioritise addressing these issues, according to the Chief Minister's Office.

2019 Assembly Polls History

The MNS did not field a candidate from Worli in the 2019 assembly polls as Aaditya Thackeray was contesting his first election. Aaditya won by a margin of 62,247 votes, facing no strong opposition.

Despite this victory, the Shiv Sena (UBT) saw a significant drop in lead during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Party candidate Arvind Sawant led by just 6,715 votes in the Worli assembly segment, the lowest among six constituencies under Mumbai South where he dominated his Shiv Sena challenger.

MNS's Strategic Moves

The MNS now sees a potential opening in Worli. It remains unclear whether the ruling alliance or the MNS will contest together. The Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde and the ruling BJP are organising events in Worli to strengthen their presence.

"In 2017 municipal corporation polls, we (MNS) bagged around 30,000 to 33,000 votes from Worli. We have voters dedicated to MNS in this constituency," Deshpande told media.

Accessibility Concerns

The MNS claimed that Aaditya Thackeray- second in command in Shiv Sena (UBT) after his father Uddhav Thackeray- is not accessible to common people who need a hands-on MLA. "The question is accessibility here. People need an MLA who is accessible, which is not the case with the incumbent MLA," Deshpande said.

"The drop in lead does not mean that people were upset with us. Our candidate was far better than our rival (Shiv Sena's Yamini Jadhav). But in Lok Sabha polls, it was the Modi factor. We did not get expected response from high-rises," he claimed.

Upcoming Assembly Elections

Elections for Maharashtra's 288 assembly seats are due in October this year. Mumbai city and Mumbai suburban district collectively send 36 MLAs to the state assembly.

The MLC said that in a three-cornered contest, the MNS might eat into votes of Sena (UBT), but only around 2,500. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has a robust plan to attract voters to polling booths on election day, he added.