BUGLE SOUNDED FOR SENA VS SENA BATTLE FOR ONE OF COUNTRY'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS SEATS

MUMBAI: Till last week, the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat was a five-way fight as four candidates, MLA Yamini Jadhav and MP Milind Deora from the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, Speaker Rahul Narwekar and minister Mangal Prabhat from the BJP were campaigning against Sena's (UBT) sitting two-time MP Arvind Sawant. But with the Shinde-led Sena managing to wrest the seat from BJP with some hard bargaining, the South Mumbai Lok Sabha, one of the country's most prestigious seats, is now a high-stakes Sena versus Sena battle.

This is the constituency that is the seat of the state's political establishment and the country's traditional financial nerve centre. It is also home to the country's richest people in Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Malabar Hill, Worli and Prabhadevi as well as middle- and working-class families in Sewri, Byculla, Mazgaon Lower Parel and Mumbai Central.

READ ALSO: Shiv Sena nominates MLA Yamini Jadhav from Mumbai South, 3 years ago I-T sought her disqualification

The constituency has a significant Muslim population in Byculla, Mumbadevi and pockets of Christian and Parsi voters too. It also houses some of the country's most iconic institutions such as Mantralaya, Bombay Stock Exchange, Bombay High Court. It is home to several top tourist destinations such as the Gateway of India. Interestingly, it also has very active citizen groups and resident associations.

Political observers said while Jadhav is banking on her support base in Byculla and on the BJP in Colaba and Malabar Hill, the Sena (UBT) old face Sawant could have a slight edge because of the Marathi-Muslim combination pattern that is working for MVA in Sewri, Worli, Byculla and Mumbadevi. "Because of the last-minute declaration of candidates, there is also apathy among elite and upper middle-class voters. The 2024 polls will be a test case to see if the Marathi-Muslim combination and lower-, middle- and upper-class combination works for MVA," the observer said.

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However, being one of the most diverse constituencies in the city its issues also also as diverse and range from heritage conservation, open spaces and pedestrianisation, to affordable housing, upgradation of public health care through state-run and civic hospitals, revamp of tourist attractions, revamp of old bridges and upgrading infrastructure and redevelopment of cessed and tenanted buildings including the BDD Chawls, BIT Chawls and those owned by Mumbai Port Authority are a big issue concerning residents across south Mumbai.

While the constituency has seen the launch of mega projects such as the Mumbai-Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) and coastal road, projects such as Metro 3 and Sewri World Connector are still under construction. The plan to reconstruct the Malabar Hill reservoir below Hanging Gardens and the redevelopment of the Mahalaxmi Racecourse are issues that have caused a lot of anger among activists and residents.

Political observers said with Sena fielding Jadhav, the onus was now on BJP to help her connect with elite voters and ensure she gets a lead in Colaba and Malabar Hill assembly segments as she would face a tough task of wooing voters in Sena (UBT) strongholds of Sewri and Worli. While Jadhav is a sitting MLA from Byculla, she would also have the task of wooing Muslim voters in Byculla and Mumbadevi.

I-T raises demand of ₹143cr from Jadhavs: The I-T department has raised a demand of Rs 143 crore on Shiv Sena legislator Yamini Jadhav and her husband Yashwant Jadhav for a period from 2018 to 2022. Both have moved the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal on April 10 and the appeals are pending.

Yamini is the Sena's LS poll candidate from Mumbai South. She is pitted against UBT Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant. Yamini Jadhav has submitted detailed information on liabilities against her and her spouse before the returning officer, Mumbai South parliamentary constituency as per the rules prescribed by the ECI.