Anahita Desai to contest Bombay Parsi Panchayat polls

Anahita Desai, Social Worker

With all eyes on the upcoming Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP) election for a while now, the first twist in the tale of future dynamics between BPP trustees, has come.

Late on Wednesday night, social worker Anahita Desai, wife of BPP chairman Yezdi Desai, confirmed to mid-day that she would be contesting in the upcoming July election once Munchi Cama's seat was vacated.

'I know BPP's workings'
"This is not an overnight decision - after putting a lot of thought into who would replace Munchi Cama on the board, I decided that this (me contesting) was the right thing to do," Anahita told mid-day over the phone. "I have been associated with the BPP for a long time. Ever since Yezdi has been part of it, I have been there by his side. I am part of the BPP - I know its workings in and out, and that is my big strength. I will be able to make things work and be effective," she said.

Describing the upcoming three months of campaigning till July, she said, "As of now, we don't know who else will be contesting. Usually, there are meetings and there is a lot of interaction with the voters. You will also see a lot of things on social media, and read a lot of viewpoints in different publications. There will be a lot of lies, stands taken, etc - we've been through it all during election time."

'Anahita is ideal for the post'
BPP chairman Yezdi Desai said, "Anahita is ideal for the post - she knows everything about the panchayat. She isn't just a social worker - she can even appear on behalf of the BPP in courts and represent us in legal matters."

When asked about her chances of winning the candidacy for a BPP trustee, he said, "I think her chances are fantastic. She has a connection with people at the ground level, and can actually help people in housing and financial matters. I think she is a great candidate for the seat, and if she wins, the community will greatly benefit."

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates