Chheda was the last prominent Gujarati face in Congress party.
Pravin Chheda, former leader of opposition of Congress party in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation joined BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday. Chheda was the last prominent Gujarati face in Congress party.
In Mumbai, the Gujarati community comprise of 18-20 per cent of the total population. There are several pockets where the Gujarati voters impact the election outcome like Ghatkopar, Chheda Nagar in Chembur, Borivali, Dahisar, Kandivali, Malad, Mulund and Matunga. There are currently two Gujarati MLAs Yogesh Sagar and Prakash Mehta as well as MP Kirit Somaiya all elected on a BJP ticket. In BMC there are 20 Gujarati corporators who are from BJP and another four from Congress.
"In the recent polls, the Gujarati community is voting en masse for BJP. As a result, in 2017 BMC polls, the BJP won 82 corporators from only 32 in 2012 while Shiv Sena tally reduced to 84 in 2017 from 89 in 2012. On the other hand, Congress managed to win only 31 seats from 51 in 2012. The BJP has captured the Gujarati vot-e bank while the Congress failed to project a single prominent Gujarati face," said a political observer. Pravin Chheda told DNA that the Congress party did not give him scope to progress and nurture the party cadre in Mumbai therefore he decided to join his parent party on Friday.
Upendra Doshi, Mumbai Congress Gujarati Cell president said that he is trying to bring back the Gujarati voters in Congress fold. "Our community is mostly business community and they are not happy with Modi government. We are having get together and groups meetings with our community leaders and people across the city," Doshi said,
(Inputs from Shailendra Paranjpe)
Vote Bank
Areas with majority of Gujarati voters are Ghatkopar, Chheda Nagar in Chembur, Borivali, Dahisar, Kandivali, Malad, Mulund and Matunga.
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