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As the political landscape in Maharashtra gears up for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Shiv Sena’s United Bahujan Thackeray (UBT) faction has expressed its intent to contest four out of the six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai. Additionally, there are strong indications that the party’s influential spokesperson, Sanjay Raut, may be fielded from the Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency.
The preparations for the Lok Sabha elections have commenced, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) taking an early lead in the process. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a coalition comprising Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Indian National Congress (Congress), has also been active in strategizing for the polls.
In the previous Lok Sabha elections, all six seats in Mumbai were contested by the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, with both parties fielding candidates in three seats each. However, following the dissolution of the alliance, the Shiv Sena (UBT) now aims to contest four Lok Sabha seats within the city. Historically, the Congress had contested all six seats in Mumbai, but the Shiv Sena (UBT) has reportedly proposed a 4-1-1 formula, offering one seat each to the Congress and the NCP.
The decision of whether the Congress will accept this formula or choose to contest independently remains a pivotal question.
Shiv Sena (UBT) initiated the assessment of Lok Sabha constituencies across the state last month, and this exercise has gained momentum following the conclusion of the Ganesh festival. Recent days have seen the party reviewing most of the constituencies in Mumbai.
The party is inclined to field incumbent MP Arvind Sawant from South Mumbai, while the Mumbai North-West constituency is likely to be entrusted to Gajanan Kirtikar’s son, Amol. A potential contest between father and son may unfold, as Gajanan Kirtikar is currently affiliated with the Shinde faction.
Shiv Sena (UBT) is also expected to lay claim to Mumbai South-Central and Mumbai North-East. The latter constituency is currently represented by BJP’s Manoj Kotak, but the party is considering fielding its spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Raut, in this constituency.
Mumbai South-Central, a Congress stronghold, is another seat that may become a contentious issue between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress. The seat is presently held by Rahul Shevale, who switched to the Shiv Sena under Eknath Shinde’s leadership last year.
To balance the equation, Shiv Sena (UBT) is likely to leave Mumbai North and Mumbai North-Central for the NCP and Congress, respectively. The political dynamics in these constituencies, particularly Mumbai-North, will be closely watched, as the BJP has made significant inroads in recent years.
The resolution of these complexities within the MVA will undoubtedly be a focal point in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
