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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Elections 2024: BJP Renominates Bharati Lavekar For Versova Amid Infrastructure Delays; MVA Puts Forward Haroon Khan

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Mumbai: Versova is one of the Vidhan Sabha constituencies located in the Mumbai Suburban district and is part of the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency. Bharati Lavekar, 58, served as a BJP MLA for two consecutive terms and has now been nominated by the BJP for a third term.

With 2.82 lakh voters, the Versova constituency covers areas including Seven Bungalows, Yari Road, Versova, Lokhandwala, Oshiwara, Veera Desai Road, and parts of Jogeshwari West. It is a cosmopolitan area, with a significant Minorities and North Indian population, and includes the Koli community. The constituency comprises a mix of affluent, upper-middle-class, middle-class, and economically weaker sections of society.

The Versova constituency was established during the 2008 delimitation of the Vile Parle constituency. It includes portions of the former Vile Parle and Amboli constituencies. In 2009, Congress candidate Baldev Khosa was elected, but the seat shifted to the BJP in 2014 when Bharti Lavekar was elected and subsequently re-elected.

In 2019, Lavekar secured 41,057 votes, defeating Congress candidate Baldev Khosa by a margin of 5,186 votes, with Khosa receiving 35,871 votes.

Lavekar, a PhD holder, received the ‘Ahilyabai Holkar’ award from the Maharashtra Government in 2000-2001, and the ‘Maharashtra Ratna’ award in 2005 for her distinguished social work. She was one of two Indians selected by the American government to study the legislative elections in the U.S. in 2006.

According to a report by the Praja Foundation, which assesses the performance of elected representatives, Lavekar ranked 14th overall and maintained a clean criminal record with top attendance. However, she ranked 16th in terms of the quantity and quality of questions raised in the assembly.

The constituency faces several unresolved issues. The long-awaited Versova-Madh bridge has been planned for 35 years, yet construction has not begun, with estimated costs rising from Rs 400 crore to Rs 4,000 crore over the past years. Line 6 of the metro project has completed 80% of its civil work, but the construction of the yard remains stalled.

Other pending projects include a post office near Taraporewala Tower (planned since 1990) and a fire brigade station at Chitrakoot Grounds, reserved in the 1991 development plan but not yet built.

Dhaval Shah, Director of the Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Organisation, stated, “Road and bridge delays contribute to significant traffic congestion in the constituency. The Oshiwara River bridge project, started in 2018, remains incomplete. The Thackeray flyover extension has faced delays near Country Club, and the Yari Road to SVP Nagar flyover has been in the works for decades. The Mrinal Tai flyover extension is delayed by three years, and the Versova-Bandra Sea Link project has been delayed by four years, leading to cost escalation and high tolls for citizens.”

This time, predicting the outcome in this constituency is challenging. Political experts say that in the recent Lok Sabha election 2024, this constituency gave a lead of 21,000 votes to the MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) candidate. People are dissatisfied with Lavekar’s work, which could negatively impact BJP’s votes. However, the BJP has once again placed its confidence in Bharati Lavekar.

Lavekar stated, “The party declared my name late because it took time to decide who would receive this seat among the Mahayuti. My party informed me much earlier to start working. Over the last ten years, I have completed several major projects. The Savitribai Phule garden, a playground, a bridge work completed and the Versova-Madh bridge tender has been issued. A modern jetty worth Rs. 400 crore has been approved, which will benefit the Koli community. Approved Rs.35.50 crore funds for the Versova beach project, and approved Rs.20 crore for the Sea Erosion Barrier project.”

Further she stated, “The Oshiwara maternity hospital is under construction, and nine metro stations in the Versova area, along with the coastal road, are also being developed. The Versova-Bandra sea link project is 26% complete. Land for a Fire Brigade station has been reserved, and the process is ongoing. Several infrastructure projects were delayed due to the Maha Vikas Aghadi government gave stayed when they were in power.”

Meanwhile, the MVA seat that goes to Shiv Sena (UBT) has announced Haroon Khan’s name.

Versova has approximately 1.1 lakh minority voters. To counter the BJP and AIMIM’s strategy, Uddhav Thackeray has nominated a loyal Shiv Sena (UBT) member, Haroon Khan, as a candidate in the assembly elections.

Khan stated, “Voters should not think of me as just a Muslim candidate. I want to work for every community and focus on developmental work. In our constituency, several infrastructure projects, such as resolving issues on the JVLR, metro works, and pending SRA projects, are overdue. Good schools and playgrounds are needed in our constituency. This fight is between the BJP and the MVA.”

Raju Pednekar from the Thackeray group has rebelled and filed as an independent candidate. However, there is talk that Shiv Sainiks, along with other aspirants from the constituency, are upset because Thackeray has nominated Khan.

Apart from it MNS has announced Sandesh Desai as its candidate, and MIM has fielded Raiees Lashkaria.

Lashkaria stated, “In the Versova constituency, not a single infrastructure project has been completed in the last ten years. This reflects a total failure on the part of the BJP MLA. Both the Central and State governments have failed to address infrastructure needs in our area. With 40% of the constituency being from minority communities, I see a strong chance for the MIM to win this seat. This will be a battle between the MIM and the BJP”

MNS Desai added, “In our constituency, the Koliwadas’ FSI (Floor Space Index) and boundary issues are major concerns. The MLA has made promises but has not delivered any results. Our constituency includes affluent, middle, and poor classes, and high school fees with limited Right to Education quota seats are significant issues. Another concern is the lack of a BMC hospital; Cooper Hospital in Juhu is inadequate for our needs. We also lack public grounds as the Andheri Sports Complex charges fees, and traffic remains a persistent problem. People are disappointed with Lavekar’s performance.”

KEY CONCERNS

Versova-Madh connectivity

Metro yard construction

Fire brigade station requirement

Delayed bridge work over the Oshiwara River

Incomplete Thackeray flyover extension

Yari Road to SVP Nagar flyover delay

Mrinal Tai flyover extension delays

Versova-Bandra Sea Link project delay

Maharashtra

Police alert for peaceful Eid-ul-Azha in Maharashtra

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Mumbai: Eid-ul-Azha was celebrated peacefully in Mumbai and all of Maharashtra. In Thane, miscreants tried to spoil the atmosphere on Eid-ul-Azha, which was foiled by the police. The police have also taken action against such elements spreading poison on social media. Along with this, peaceful namaz was also offered at the Idgah located at Dogadi Fort in Kalyan. An attempt was also made to ring the bell in the temple located in Fort and at the right time of Namaz, Shiv Sena and Shinde workers gathered and rang the bell, due to which the police took them into custody and prevented the atmosphere from getting spoiled. Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbare had made tight security arrangements in sensitive areas like Mumbra, Bhiwandi Police Station, Rabodi Kalyan and Ulhasnagar. In Mumbai too, the police was alert and prepared in the backdrop of Eid-ul-Azha and Qurbani.

Due to the dispute over Qurbani in housing societies, the police had made tight arrangements in such societies where problems had arisen earlier. Along with this, BMC allowed sacrifice in many societies and temporary altars for sacrifice. Muslims performed the ritual of sacrifice with Abrahamic zeal. Apart from this, police guard was also kept on Eidgahs and mosques in Mumbai. Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti reviewed the situation. According to this, the arrangements in Mumbai were completed. Mumbai Police also kept an eye on the miscreants and monitored social media.

Along with this, Eid-ul-Azha was celebrated peacefully in various districts of Maharashtra, Malegaon, Aurangabad, Beed, Osmanabad, Amravati and all over Maharashtra. No untoward incident was reported from anywhere. Police sources have claimed that Eid was celebrated in a peaceful atmosphere and orders for action against the miscreants were also issued, after which sacrifice was done and the splendor of sacrifice was seen everywhere in Muslim localities.

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Maharashtra

ED took action on 15 places including Mithi river, cleanliness, irregularities, Dino Morea

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Dino Morea ED

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has raided 15 places including Mumbai in the irregularities case in the cleaning of the Mithi river. The Enforcement Directorate has also claimed to have seized many important documents related to the case while conducting raids in Mumbai and Kochi. The ED has also raided the house of film actor Dino Maurya. The EOW has registered the first FIR in this case, after which the Enforcement Directorate has now started a parallel investigation. The ED has taken this action under the PMLA Money Laundering Act. Dino Maurya has also been involved in this irregularity. The EOW has also questioned him and his brother.

It is said that Dino Maurya and Ketan are close to Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray. Now Dino’s troubles have increased. The EOW has found many important documents and evidence in the Mithi river corruption and irregularities case in Mumbai, so now the ED has also started its action in the case of misuse of funding and illegal tender purchase in this case. Many Shiv Sena leaders are also in the ambit of ED action, because during the Mithi river corruption scam, Shiv Sena was ruling the BMC, so the scope of investigation has become focused on Shiv Sena leaders. EOW has also made significant progress in its action in the Mithi river corruption case in Mumbai. More revelations are expected after the arrival of ED in this case. EOW has taken action against 13 people in this case so far and has also arrested them. In this, political leaders including BMC officials are also on the radar of ED.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: MLA and SP leader Abu Asim Azmi appeals to avoid sacrificing animals in the open on Eid-ul-Azha

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Mumbai: Mumbai Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has appealed to Muslims not to perform Qurbani in the open and also follow BMC and government guidelines. Cleanliness is half of faith, so take special care of cleanliness. Not only this, it is mandatory to follow all the guidelines and guiding principles set regarding Qurbani. Take special care of cleanliness and ensure that the brothers and sisters of the country do not face any kind of trouble on Eid-ul-Azha. This is the real teaching of Islam. Celebrate Eid with mutual love, brotherhood and following Sunnat Ibrahimi. Azmi said that the waste of Qurbani on Eid should also be kept in bags and thrown in the dustbin.

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