Mumbai: Worli has emerged as one of the focal points in the election. Sitting MLA Aaditya Thackeray from Shiv Sena (UBT) faces a formidable challenge from the Shiv Sena (Shinde) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), making the contest intense and unpredictable.

In 2019, 47.98% of the voters in Worli cast their ballots. This time, a voter turnout of 52.78% was recorded. For Thackeray, the 2024 election is vastly different from his 2019 campaign, when he secured an easy victory. This time, he faces stiff competition from two prominent leaders representing major parties: The Shiv Sena (Shinde) has fielded Milind Deora, and the MNS has nominated Sandeep Deshpande.

Allegations Made By MNS Leader Sandeep Deshpande

Deshpande has alleged that a fake letter claiming MNS’ support for the Mahayuti alliance was circulated in Worli by Shinde Sena workers. This led to a scuffle between MNS workers and supporters of the Sena. Following the incident, MNS officials visited Agripada Police Station to lodge a complaint. Adding to the tension, MNS cadres allegedly slapped a former corporator of the Shinde Sena over the distribution of the fake leaflet.

Deshpande Files Complaint Against Shinde Faction Member Rajesh Kusale

Deshpande subsequently filed a complaint against Shinde faction member Rajesh Kusale for allegedly circulating the fabricated letter in the name of MNS chief Raj Thackeray.

Voice Of Voters

Rajesh Pachku Koli, a resident of Worli, expressed his concerns about the election environment, stating, “I cast my vote every time. This time, I voted for a genuine candidate. One party fielded a candidate just to oppose others without a development agenda, while another distributed large sums of money to buy votes and added fake names to the voting list. I voted for someone who does real work, not one with just money.”

Kishor More, another voter, said, “I feel disappointed because Maharashtra’s politics has become dirty. There are no ethics left. No one talks about development; there is inflation, and political leaders divert people’s attention. Some political parties lure voters and fight to take credit for any work. I stand with the true candidate.”

“Politics has changed a lot. In my generation, there were at least some ethics. Now, there are no ethics left,” 80- year-old Shankar Mahadik said.

“Anyone can join any party and even contest from parties with totally opposite ideologies. Almost all are the same; no ideology remains – it’s all about power. Still, I remain optimistic. As a senior citizen, I believe in change. I cast my vote for the candidate who is the least bad and the most good.”

Residents of more than 35 chawls in Worli BDD initially decided to boycott the election, citing unresolved issues related to BDD redevelopment. However, with just hours left for voting, they withdrew their decision after receiving assurances about resolving their concerns. Consequently, residents turned out to cast their votes.

While voter turnout in Mumbai for the state assembly election was generally low, Bhandup West, part of the Mumbai North East constituency, saw notably higher participation. This constituency has been at the center of intense political attention due to the high-stakes battle between both factions of Shiv Sena-sitting MLA from Shiv Sena (UBT), Ramesh Korgaonkar, and former MLA from Shiv Sena (Shinde), Ashok Patil. 

The Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency comprises six state assembly constituencies: Mulund, Vikhroli, Ghatkopar West, Ghatkopar East, and Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar. On election day, voter turnout was notably higher, with long queues seen outside polling centers in the Bhandup area, particularly in Sonapur and Tembipada. Bhandup has long been a stronghold of Shiv Sena, primarily due to its Marathi-speaking voter base. Following the division of Shiv Sena in 2022, Bhandup West will witness its first direct contest between the two factions of the party. Besides this, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s candidate, Shirish Sawant, is in the race, which could split the Marathi votes. To secure victory, party workers from both factions were seen actively encouraging voters to go to the polls, ensuring strong engagement from the local community.

The voter turnout in Bhandup constituency saw a significant increase during the election day. Starting at 7 PM, initial enthusiasm led to more than 10% turnout in the first two hours. This momentum was maintained through the early afternoon, with first-time voters and senior citizens actively participating. However, turnout slowed during the midday hours due to the intense heat, with voter participation remaining between 38% to 48%. After 3 PM, there was a noticeable surge in enthusiasm, especially in areas like Sarvoday Nagar, Ganesh Nagar, and Subhas Nagar, where voters started coming out in greater numbers. By 5 PM, the voters turnout reached 60%, showing a marked increase compared to previous elections in the constituency.

Voters turnout:

Mumbai North East

Voting percentage till 5pm

155 Mulund 52.2

156 Vikhroli 53

157 Bhandup (West) 60.18

169 Ghatkopar (West) 56.36

170 Ghatkopar (East) 51.67

171 Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar 47.46

Mumbai: In the Sewree Assembly constituency, the Mahayuti refrained from fielding a candidate against the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). In return, a fake letter falsely claiming that the MNS would support the bow-and-arrow symbol of the Shinde faction’s candidate in the Worli Assembly constituency was circulated.

This forged letter bore the fake signature of MNS chief Raj Thackeray. Following this, MNS worker Akrur Patkar filed a complaint at the Agripada Police Station. Based on this complaint, further action is being taken. The FIR has been registered against Shiv Sena (Shinde Faction ) worker Rajesh Kusale under sections 336(2), 336(4), 353(2), and 171(1) of BNS. The police are investigating the matter further.

About The Letter

In the Sewree constituency, the Mahayuti honored the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) by not fielding a candidate against them. As a gesture of responsibility, MNS decided to support the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) in the Worli constituency by endorsing the bow-and-arrow symbol to prevent the division of Hindu votes.

A letter with such claims, written on the MNS letterhead, was circulated online. The letter falsely carried the forged signature of MNS president Raj Thackeray. Following a complaint lodged by MNS worker Akrur Patkar, the Agripada Police Station registered a case against Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) worker Rajesh Kusale.

According to MNS worker Akrur Patkar’s statement to the police, on November 20, the day of the Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 voting, Patkar was at Dhobi Ghat with MNS candidate for the Worli Assembly constituency, Sandeep Deshpande. Around 8 AM, Patkar received a photo of a letter on his phone from Rajesh Kusale.

The letter, without any date, claimed that since the Mahayuti honored the MNS by not fielding a candidate in the Sewree constituency, the MNS had decided to support the bow-and-arrow symbol of the Shinde faction’s candidate in Worli to prevent the division of Hindu votes. The letter was written on MNS letterhead and bore the forged signature of MNS chief Raj Thackeray.

To verify the authenticity of the letter, Sandeep Deshpande contacted Raj Thackeray, who confirmed that no such letter existed. Additionally, Kusale also sent a video to Patkar, asking him to keep it confidential. The video reiterated the claim of MNS’s support for the bow-and-arrow symbol in Worli.

Considering this as an act of spreading false information and misleading voters, Ankur Patkar filed a complaint against Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) karyakrta and ex Shakhapramukh Rajesh Kusale. Based on the complaint, an FIR has been registered at the Agripada Police Station, and further investigation is underway.