Shiv Sena's Murji Patel Confident Of Victory In Andheri East - Uddhav Thackeray's Bastion

Shiv Sena's organisation is very strong in Mumbai's western suburbs, which benefits the party in municipal and assembly elections. In recent times, the BJP has also established a substantial presence in the western suburbs.

The Andheri East area in the western suburbs is known for its multilingual population. The Andheri East Assembly constituency is currently held by Shiv Sena, with Rutuja Latke of the Uddhav Thackeray faction serving as the MLA.

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For the upcoming assembly elections, Eknath Shinde has chosen popular local activist Murji Patel as the candidate for this constituency.

A Dynamic Social Worker

Murji Patel is known as a dynamic social worker in Andheri East. Through his organisation, Jeevan Jyot Pratishthan, he undertakes various social initiatives, including Aadhar registration, providing health facilities to the underprivileged, and implementing the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana.

Malpa Dongri, a hilly area in Andheri East, previously lacked access to water. While the municipality agreed to supply water to the base of the hill, the task of transporting it to the top fell on the residents. Murji Patel took the initiative to set up a pumping station, ensuring water availability in the hilly region. His social work has created a vast network of contacts across Andheri East.

Previously, he was a corporator from Andheri East, but his position was nullified due to his caste verification certificate being deemed invalid. Despite this, Patel remains very popular in Andheri East, where he is affectionately known as "Kaka." Known as a 24/7 available activist, he is well-regarded throughout the constituency.

Withdrawal from the By-Election in Andheri East

In the 2019 assembly election, Shiv Sena's Ramesh Latke won from the Andheri East constituency. However, he passed away shortly after, leading to a by-election. By then, Shiv Sena had split into two factions, with Eknath Shinde leading one faction. Uddhav Thackeray's faction nominated Ramesh Latke's widow, Rutuja Latke, while the BJP chose Murji Patel.

Patel had gained momentum in his campaign, but at the last moment, the BJP directed him to withdraw, allowing Rutuja Latke to win the seat unopposed.

This by-election was crucial, as the "bow and arrow" symbol was frozen. Patel's supporters were highly disappointed at his withdrawal, with many expressing their anger in emotional outbursts. Now, the Andheri East seat has been allocated to Shiv Sena within the alliance, with Eknath Shinde offering a party ticket to Murji Patel.

The residents of Andheri East have given mixed support in the past. Previously, Congress's Suresh Shetty represented the constituency, followed by Shiv Sena's Ramesh Latke. Now, a face-off is set between Shiv Sena under Uddhav Thackeray's leadership and that of Eknath Shinde.

The Andheri East seat holds immense prestige for the alliance, which is determined to secure a win for Murji Patel. In the recent Lok Sabha election, the alliance candidate also received a significant majority in this constituency, which is noteworthy.

Development Works by the Maha-Yuti Government

The Maha-Yuti government has undertaken many projects in the Andheri East constituency, focusing on infrastructure development. The Mumbai Metro line from Andheri East to Dahisar East has been completed, and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's "Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahini" scheme has benefited 24,000 women in this constituency.

A Contest Worth Watching

The battle in Andheri East is undoubtedly one to watch, as it is crucial for the Uddhav Thackeray faction's survival.

Thackeray and his leaders are determined not to lose any seat in Mumbai, while the Maha-Yuti alliance is equally committed to ending Thackeray's dominance in the city. Hence, the Andheri East seat has become a matter of pride for both sides.

Considering the development projects and extensive public outreach, Maha-Yuti supporters believe that Murji Patel, running on Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena ticket, will win this election.