Mumbai: Ganeshotsav-special buses for Marathi manoos hailing from Konkan region

The BJP has made Ganeshotsav-special travel arrangements for the Marathi manoos in the city who hail from the Konkan region, in an attempt to woo the Shiv Sena's traditional and major vote bank ahead of the BMC elections. On Sunday, the BJP booked 150 buses and two trains for people travelling to the Konkan region for the Ganpati festival, and offered tickets at a subsidised rate of Rs 100. Since getting power back in the state, this is BJP's first attempt to challenge Shiv Sena's dominance on the ground.

"This is not politics," said BJP's former corporator Prabhakar Shinde, who is managing the bus services with another party leader. "Ganpati festival is celebrated in every household of Konkan. After Covid-19 restrictions for two years, people can finally travel without any fear. We are just helping them travel easily for the celebrations," he added. The BJP has organised bus services from Dahisar, Borivli, Jogeshwari, Bhandup, Vikhroli, Mahim and Worli - all Shiv Sena's strongholds.

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More than 80 per cent of the Shiv Sena's former corporators belong to the Konkan region, mainly from Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts. In Dahisar, six out of eight Sena candidates won the 2017 civic polls, while eight out of 14 candidates won in Vikhroli Bhandup area, and seven out of 11 in Mahim-Dharavi. In Worli-Prabhadevi Sena won six out of seven wards, and all seven wards in Lalbaug-Parel. These areas in the city and its suburbs have a majority Konkan population, who help Sena stay in power in the BMC.

Strategy to hurt Sena

"If Shiv Sena loses power in Mumbai, it may affect its prospects in the state politics," said political expert Abhay Deshpande. "The BJP has appointed an experienced Marathi face as city chief, MLA Ashish Shelar, as the party knows how important the city politics is for the Sena. This [travel arrangement for Ganeshotsav] is the BJP's strategy to hurt the Sena in Mumbai. The BJP is making all efforts to woo the Shiv Sena voters," he added.

According to Hemant Desai, another political expert, the BJP is challenging the Sena through other ways, too. "Even though the work on the Mumbai-Goa Highway is not complete, the BJP knows that it can easily gain popularity by providing bus services to those travelling home for Ganesh festival," Desai said. Recently, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis announced that every festival will be celebrated with enthusiasm. "They [BJP] are trying to show that the Shiv Sena did nothing in the past 2.5 years," Desai added.

For the Dahi Handi celebrations, the BJP's Mumbai unit grabbed the iconic Jamboree Maidan from the Sena. One of the most happening Dahi Handi venues in the city, the Maidan is in former minister Aaditya Thackeray's constituency - Worli. Sources from the BJP said, "The party will also help Ganpati mandals in Shiv Sena's core areas, like Lalbaug, Dadar, Parel and Mahim." mid-day could not reach former mayor Kishori Pednekar for comment.

80
Percentage of Sena's former corporators who are from Konkan