Anti-incumbency notwithstanding, the saffron allies are likely to win majority seats in Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
On account of senior leaders deserting the party, infighting and a half-hearted campaign from Congress and NCP in the city, the BJP and Shiv Sena candidates are sensing a cakewalk in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Anti-incumbency notwithstanding, the saffron allies are likely to win majority seats in Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
In Navi Mumbai, BJP nominee Ganesh Naik is not facing any contest in the Airoli assembly constituency. The NCP has pitted Ganesh Shinde against him. Naik quit the NCP prior to the polls and the party doesn't have any strong replacement.
Naik was expecting ticket from Belapur in place of sitting BJP MLA Manda Mhatre. However, BJP denied him that and fielded his son Sandeep Naik from Airoli, which he later convinced the party leader to reverse.
"That decision of Naik made the two seats – Belapur and Airoli of BJP secured. So neither Manda Mhatre nor Naik is facing any serious threat in this polls. NCP had fielded Ashok Gawade against Manda Mhatre. MNS has pitted young and dynamic face Gajanan Kale in the same constituency, but he has limitation in terms of party cadre and resources. Therefore, the victory of the Naik and Mhatre has been sealed in advance," said local journalist Vinayak Patil.
Interestingly, Naik has a hold over the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Naik left the NCP and joined BJP along with 54 corporators in Navi Mumbai.
While Thane is the stronghold of the Shiv Sena, its leader Eknath Shinde has a command over Thane district. Shiv Sena controls Thane and the adjoining Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation as well.
In Kopari-Pachpakhadi assembly constituency of Thane district, Sena leader Eknath Khadse is facing the Congress nominee Sanjay Ghadigaonkar while in Majiwada, Sena sitting MLA Pratap Sarnaik is facing Congress candidate Vikrant Chavan and Sandeep Pachange from MNS. In Thane, the BJP has fielded sitting MLA Sanjay Kelkar while the NCP did not field any candidate and has extended its support to MNS candidate Avinash Jadhav.
In Mira-Bhayandar, BJP sitting MLA Narendra Mehta is pitted against Congress nominee Mujjafar Hussain. Interestingly, in the Kalwa-Mumbra constituency, the NCP has again fielded its sitting MLA and senior leader Jitendra Awhad. The Sena has pitted Marathi film actress Deepali Sayyad to cause a dent in Marathi votes where Awhad has a cutting edge due to his influence and work in his constituency.
Except for Awhad, on a majority of seats of MMR, the BJP and the Sena have got a cutting edge while the NCP and Congress candidates are struggling to put up a face. "Congress and the NCP did not pay attention to strengthen its cadre when they were in power. Now, they have no hold nor strong candidates to give a tough fight to BJP-Sena candidates," said Dilip Sapathe, a senior journalist from Thane.
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