Lok Sabha elections 2024: A unique constituency with a diverse mix of voters

The Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency has become a hotbed of political activity and fierce competition as the elections approach Known for its diverse population and dynamic electorate Mumbai North is witnessing a highstakes battle among major political players The constituency which spans key areas such as Borivli Dahisar Kandivali and Malad is gearing up for a showdown that could significantly impact the political landscape of Mumbai and MaharashtraIn the fray are candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP and the Indian National Congress INC each vying for the support of the constituencys 19 lakh voters The BJP which currently holds the seat aims to retain its stronghold while the Shiv Sena factions and Congress are determined to reclaim their influence in this politically crucial regionPolitical history and demographyThe Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency has witnessed significant shifts in political allegiance over the decades The constituencyrsquos evolving demographic and socioeconomic landscape continues to shape its political dynamics making it a key area for understanding urban electoral trends in India Established in 1952 the Mumbai North Loksabha constituency included the suburban areas of Mumbai which were rapidly urbanising and expandingHawkers on a congested road in Borivli West PicSatej ShindeFrom 1952 to the 1980s INC had a stronghold over the constituency Veteran Congress leader late Murli Deora represented the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency in the mid1980s Legendary actor Sunil Dutt was one of the most notable MPs from Mumbai North He represented the constituency from 1984 until 2004 barring one term when he contested from Mumbai North West The 1990s marked a significant shift in Mumbai Northrsquos political landscape This period saw the emergence of identity politics based on regional pride and linguistic identity with Shiv Sena championing the cause of the Marathispeaking populationThe early 2000s saw the BJP gaining prominence in Mumbai North with senior leader Ram Naik playing a key role in the constituencys politics In recent elections the BJP has maintained a strong hold over Mumbai North making the region its bastion Ram Naik notably secured victory five times establishing the partys dominance However the BJP faced stiff competition from actor Govinda who represented Congress and won the seat at one point Subsequently Sanjay Nirupam also clinched victory for Congress but suffered a defeat in 2014 which BJP leaders attributed to a lsquoModi waversquoVote shareIn 2014 BJPs Gopal Shetty triumphed over Nirupam by a significant margin Shetty secured 664004 votes compared to Nirupams 217422 The scenario remained almost identical in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with Shetty winning the seat with a 7140 per cent vote share while Congresss Urmila Matondkar secured only 2439 per cent of the votesElectoral dynamics and voter baseMumbai Northrsquos electorate is diverse including a mix of middleclass families slum dwellers and a significant Marathispeaking population This diversity makes it a unique constituency where both development issues and identity politics play significant roles The constituency is a significant and diverse electoral region with a large voter base of approximately 19 lakh registered voters It includes a mix of Marathi Gujarati North Indian and Muslim communities among others Approximately 37 per cent of the population in this constituency belongs to the SC category with 1 per cent classified as STKey issues of Mumbai NorthVoters in Mumbai North are focused on pressing local issues such as urban congestion the menace of hawkers the rise of slums in areas like Malvani and the need for improved infrastructure and public services Candidates are addressing these concerns through their campaigns promising solutions that resonate with the everyday experiences of the residentsShreyas Shinde a studentFor instance Dahisar faces severe traffic congestion particularly at Dahisar Check Naka a major entry and exit point to Mumbai Traffic jams during peak hours cause long delays and pollution Many residents also experience irregular water supply with some areas relying on water tankers especially during the summer months There is also an increase in the number of slum settlements in areas like Ganpat Patil Nagar and KandarpadaBorivli and Magathane suffer from severe overcrowding in both residential complexes and public transport Rapid development has led to encroachment on green spaces reducing the availability of parks and recreational areas for residents During the monsoon season Borivli often experiences flooding due to inadequate drainage systems The existing infrastructure including roads and public amenities is under significant strain due to the growing population The hawker menace around Borivli West station creates severe problems three rows of hawkers on the roads outside the station make it difficult for pedestrians to walk and slow down vehicular movement Footpaths between Dahisar West station and Borivli West station are encroached upon by sellers who have built makeshift huts on the pavementsKandivali has also seen a rise in the number of slums particularly in areas like Charkop Damunagar and Hanuman Nagar These slums lack basic amenities such as sanitation clean water and healthcare Major roads including the Western Express Highway and Link Road face frequent traffic bottlenecks affecting commute times and increasing pollutionMalvani a neighbourhood in Malad West has a significant number of slum settlements These areas struggle with poor living conditions inadequate sanitation and limited access to clean water The proliferation of street vendors has led to encroachment on sidewalks and public spaces causing further inconvenience to pedestrians and contributing to traffic congestion Ineffective waste management practices have led to garbage accumulation posing health risks and environmental concernsNishita Bhatia Malad West residentParts of Goregaon within Mumbai North are experiencing rapid urbanisation leading to a strain on infrastructure and public services Goregaon faces significant traffic congestion especially near the railway station and on major roads during peak hours Like Borivli Goregaon also suffers from flooding during the monsoon season due to inadequate drainage systems Meanwhile construction activities and increased vehicular traffic have led to rising air and noise pollution in the areaDiscussing the issues in Dahisar Borivli and Kandivali local resident and environmentalist Harish Pandey said ldquoOne of the biggest issues in this constituency is the environment The elected representative needs to be very sensitive towards environmental issues and protection We have so many wetlands here there is Sanjay Gandhi National Park which has sources of all rivers in the city and two of the citys rivers Dahisar and Poisar are located in Mumbai NorthThe second issue is slums and encroachments For example rising encroachments in the city lead to an increase in slum settlements such as those in Ganpat Patil Nagar destroying the mangroves However they have become a crucial vote bank The bottlenecks at Dahisar Check Naka have made entering or exiting Mumbai a problem Moreover many old buildings in Dahisar and Borivli are not getting redeveloped due to restrictions on building heights The government and civic body need to address thisrdquoPankaji Trivedi a resident of Srikrishna Society in Borivli expressed his concerns saying that while the Metro has started there is no place for pedestrians to walk ldquoThere are no proper roads below the Metro Metro pillars are used for putting up posters and many people litter even below the Metro stations This goes unchecked and only the common man suffers The civic body and politicians do not restrict the mushrooming of slums From Dahisar to Malad footpaths are encroached upon and no concrete measures are taken to address this Are the pavements and footpaths made for pedestrians or hawkers We vote and pay taxes yet we get nothing in return One has to either be very rich or very poor to survive in this city Middleclass people always suffer despite following laws and paying taxesrdquo Trivedi saidNishita Bhatia 21 a resident of Malad West said she has witnessed numerous slums springing up haphazardly near her residence leading to increased traffic congestion and chaos in the area ldquoThe roads are perpetually in disarray exacerbating the traffic situation The Slum Rehabilitation Authority SRA areas are consistently overcrowded with people packed into every available space Also the road infrastructure urgently requires enhancement as it poses significant risks to travellers due to potholes and unexpected speed breakers that become blind spotsrdquoMeanwhile Shreyas Shinde 21 a student of M L Dahanukar College of Commerce highlighted another major issue concerning the slums opposite St Don Bosco school ldquoCigarettes are openly sold in the slums often within 100 meters of the school grounds Frequently vendors donrsquot verify the age of buyers resulting in school children openly purchasing cigarettesrdquo Shinde saidHe added that makeshift shops are also cropping up on footpaths throughout Borivli compelling pedestrians to move onto roads ldquoThe makeshift vegetable market in Borivli just outside the BMC market renders the road impassable causing autos and cars to reroute sometimes causing us to miss trains and be late for collegerdquoMajor contestantsBJPs candidate Piyush Goyal is a chartered accountant with a robust political background and has been serving as a minister of commerce at the Center Goyal who has been an MP in the Rajya Sabha since 2010 is contesting a direct election for the first time Challenging him is Congress candidate Bhushan Patil Mumbai Congress vicepresident and a relative newcomer to electoral politics Patil who is in the construction business is confident that his local roots and identity as a grassroots party worker in the region will work in his favourAssembly segments of Mumbai NorthThe constituency is divided into six assembly segments Dahisar Magathane Borivli Kandivali East Charkop and Malad West Of these five are held by the ruling alliance while Malad West is with CongressDahisarCovers areas like Dahisar East Dahisar West parts of Borivli East and some surrounding localitiesSitting MLAManisha Ashok ChaudhariParty BJPMagathaneIncludes parts of Borivli East Magathane and nearby regionsSitting MLAPrakash SurvePartyShiv Sena Eknath ShindeBorivliBorivli West and surroundingneighborhoodsSitting MLASunil RaneParty BJPKandivali EastIncludes areas such as Thakur Village Lokhandwala Township and parts of Kandivali EastSitting MLAAtul BhatkhalkarParty BJPCharkopIncludes areas like Charkop Kandivali West and parts of Malad WestSitting MLAYogesh SagarParty BJPMalad WestEncompasses Malad West including areas like Marve Malvani and nearby localitiesSitting MLAAslam ShaikhPartyINCDistribution of votersMarathi 354037Areas with high concentrationBorivli Dahisar parts of Kandivali and MaladEstimated voters665 lakh to 76 lakhGujarati 202537Areas with high concentrationBorivli Kandivali and parts of MaladEstimated voters38 lakh to 475 lakhNorth Indian communities 202537Areas with high concentrationMalad Kandivali and DahisarEstimated voters38 lakh to 475 lakhMuslim 101537Areas with high concentrationMalad especially Malvani parts of Kandivali and GoregaonEstimated voters19 lakh to 285 lakhOther communities 51037Estimated voters95000 to 19 lakh