Baba Siddique starts sop opera

It’s poll time, so it’s time to woo voters. Bandra MLA Baba Siddique is offering dustbins to housing societies in his constituency.

In many parts of Bandra, Khar and Santa Cruz, he has put up hoardings, announcing that if housing societies need dustbins, they should contact their nearest advanced locality management (ALM) centres. However, ALM members are angry as they were not informed and are unprepared for the distribution.

“This is being used as a poll sop for societies, which is highly regrettable,” said Anil Joseph, chairperson, Perry Road Residents’ Association.

Hoardings also say MLA funds will be used for buying dustbins.

“MLA funds are being wasted. He has wasted funds [in the past] to appease voters,” said Aftab Siddiqui, chairperson, 33rd Road ALM.

Baba Siddique has been elected in Bandra 177 constituency for the past two decades — first as a corporator and then as an MLA.

“The Queen of suburbs has been converted into the slum of suburbs, courtesy Siddique,” said Neil Pereira, member, Pali Gaothan East Indian Association.

Incidentally, sources said Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) observers had visited the Bandra constituency on Monday to choose a “suitable” candidate for the assembly elections. “We have learnt that these hoardings were put up to impress the observers in Bandra. It was probably Siddique’s ruse to show his popularity in the area and his supposed close rapport with ALMs and citizens’ groups,” said Hashim Sheikh, a Khar(W) resident.