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Maharashtra Elections 2014: The Marathi versus Gujarati undercurrent comes to the fore

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Standing outside the Shiv Sena shakha in South Mumbai, the Sena corporator cleared his throat, shuffled his feet and looked around before lighting a cigarette. “Maharashtrians are coming out to vote in large numbers. But, so are they,” he said as his brow creased.

The word “they” in this case, was used to refer to Gujaratis, Marwadis and Jains. With the two-decade old Shiv Sena and BJP alliance falling apart, the Sena is capitalising on the fissures between the Marathi speakers and these mercantile communities in an attempt to make a clean breast in Mumbai. Though party chief Uddhav Thackeray has claimed that the Gujarati speakers would stay by the Shiv Sena, which “protected” them during the 1992- 93 riots, the contradictions in this coalitions of extremes (due to their different class character) are coming to the fore once the saffron alliance has fallen apart.

It is no co-incidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national chief Amit Shah who were at the helm of the party when the coalition broke down belong to Gujarat. While the Shiv Sena has been at its acrid best while attacking the duo, Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel has also been at the Sena's receiving end for trying to attract industrialists to Gujarat from Maharashtra.

Visits to traditional Maharashtrian neighbourhoods indicate that such polarisation in favour of the Shiv Sena may have converted the fight in these areas to one between the Sena and the BJP, pushing the Congress, NCP and even the more aggressive Raj Thackeray-led MNS to the margins. Adding fuel to the fire is the ire over opposition to meat-eating communities like Maharashtrians and even fish markets in localities as well as buildings housing vegetarian communities. However, the Sena's critics gleefully point out that many party leaders have stakes in the construction firms which have erected these buildings.

Outside the shakha, as Sainiks pour over the voter list, the corporator admits that while they are banking on a massive Marathi consolidation in favour of the Sena to see them through in the Mumbai, Thane and Konkan region, which collectively accounts for 75 seats or effectively over a fourth of the state assembly's bench strength of 288, Mumbai's changing demography may prove a stumbling block. Traditional Marathi neighbourhoods like Girgaon, Khetwadi, Dadar, Mahim and Vile Parle have seen a steady erosion in the number of Maharashtrian families, who have chosen to sell their dwellings and move to larger houses in the suburbs or the extended Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The Maharashtrians are said to account for a third of the city's population, but those in the lower and lower-middle class segments are easier to mobilise compared to those from affluent sections. Moreover, as a former Sena MLA points out, not all Maharashtrians are Sena supporters and are spread out in different parties, with a section of upper castes like Brahmins preferring the BJP over the Sena.

“The Marathi versus Gujarati undercurrent has been manifesting itself during the elections,” said the corporator, adding that however, these communities were also polarising in favour of the BJP, especially after the rise of Narendra Modi on the national stage.

“The Shiv Sena also has some traditional support among Gujaratis,” said Appa Supralkar, who was manning a Shiv Sena table outside a polling booth at Chira Bazaar, even as a party cadre guided a Gujarati voter to the booth in chaste Gujarati. “Even today, the Shiv Sena shakhas remain the first port of call for people across communities for civic woes. When the Ambedkar Nagar slum in Colaba caught fire, we Shiv Sainiks were the first to rush to their aid,” he said, while admitting that there was unease in the people over demands to shift out the local fish market.

“This is Maharashtra. The sentiments of local people must be respected. How can food choices be imposed on others?” a Sainik questioned.

At the fishing colony of Macchimar Nagar in Colaba, a place more famous as the landing point for Pakistani terrorists who were involved in the 26/11 terror attacks, beaming local shakha pramukh Manohar Patil claimed it would be a cakewalk for the Shiv Sena in the locality. The Sena's Pandurang Sakpal is crossing swords with incumbent MLA Anni Shekhar (Congress) and former legislators Raj Purohit (BJP) and Bashir Patel (NCP). “Around 80% of kolis in the area hail from Palghar and are bound by ties of kin. We will stand by the Sena,” he said, claiming that despite the Gujarati vs Marathi undercurrent, they were getting support from Gujarati leaders.

“Some people from high-rises in the neighbourhood objected to us drying fish in the open. It is a question of our livelihood,” complained local youth Jitendra Khale, adding that the Sena had supported the fisherfolk. “Above all, most problems faced by people pertain to water supply, drainage, sanitation and the police. The Shiv Sena stands by us in these times. The Maharashtrians have decided to stand by the Shiv Sena and not waste their votes on parties like the MNS, which have no chance of coming to power,” said Khale, explaining his political choice.

In the Maharashtrian heartland of Parel, which formed part of the Girangaon (textile mill) belt, the MNS, which is defending its seat from a resurgent Sena, is trying to get a slice of the action. “The BJP will not get a shot at power. It will either be the Shiv Sena or MNS,” claimed a young MNS supporter Abhishek Dhavane.

“The constituency consists of around 20% Gujarati voters. But, they have come out to vote in large numbers. In contrast, Marathi speakers are slightly lackadaisical when it comes to exercising their franchise,” he complained. The traditional blue-collared, working class neighbourhood has seen a change in its skyline over the years with glass-and-chrome commercial complexes and gated residential communities coming up on what were once textile mills employing 2.5 lakh workers.

However, the Shiv Sena, which is looking at a chance to reclaim its constituency from Bala Nandgaonkar of the MNS, and has fielded vibhag pramukh Ajay Choudhari, marshalled its resources and cadre to ensure a better turnout from Maharashtrian voters.

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