Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Kalyan’s issues ignored despite urbanisation

The Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency is set to witness a significant political battle in the 2024 general elections Traditionally a Shiv Sena stronghold internal splits have created a Sena vs Sena scenario Dr Shrikant Shinde the incumbent MP from the Shiv Sena Shinde faction and son of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is competing against Vaishali DarekarRane from the Shiv Sena UBTThis election is not just between the two candidates in the fray but a prestige battle between Eknath Shinde and UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray setting the stage for a highpitched political dramaAn Illegal building at Kisan Nagar in Thane West PicSameer MarkandeShrikant a twotime MP is aiming for his third term He faces opposition from within the alliance and from Vaishali DarekarRane who previously contested the Lok Sabha elections as an MNS candidate securing 102 lakh votes The Mahayuti alliance has a strong hold on this constituency though Jitendra Awhad from the NCP SP is the only MLA from the MVA in this areaMahayuti holdFive out of the six Assembly segments belong to the Mahayuti while MNSrsquos Pramod Patil is MLA of the Kalyan Rural Assembly constituency MNS is supporting Mahayuti Party chief Raj Thackeray held a rally for Shrikant Mumbra Kalwa MLA Jitendra Awhad belongs to the NCP SP Balaji Kinikar Ambernath MLA is of Shiv Sena Meanwhile Ulashnagar MLA Kumar Ailani Ganpat Gaikwad Kalyan East and Ravindra Chavan Dombivli belong to the BJP As the BJP held command in the constituency the party workers and leaders were demanding the constituency for the party But Shrikant successfully gained this constituency in Mahayuti Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced him as a candidate and told BJP party workers and leaders to cooperate with him but there is still some dissatisfaction among party workersKey issuesMajor issues in the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency include illegal and dilapidated buildings internal city transport water supply and drug mafia activities in certain areas The constituency faces significant challenges with illegal constructions and ageing unsafe buildings which pose safety hazards to residents Inefficient and inadequate internal city transportation remains a major concern affecting daily commutes and connectivity within the areaAmbernath In the last two decades urbanisation and the growing number of buildings have resulted in problems like a lack of parking space hawkers drinking water supply issues and inadequate public transport There is even the problem of load sheddingUlhasnagar As the city has grown over the last 70 years its struggle for basic needs like public transport and water supply continues Also there are major issues like encroachment and public health Solid waste management is another concernKalyan East Although parts of the segment are planned these were developed by a private construction company In recent years there has been a surge in illegal settlements in the area This segment faces problems with water supply public transport and traffic congestion Locals of Kalyan told midday that there is also the issue of prostitutionDombivli The area is known for its population of whitecollar workers predominantly Brahmin Marathi Jain and South Indian citizens There are issues such as inadequate drinking water supply poor road conditions and encroachmentKalyan Rural This suburb of Kalyan has transitioned to a semiurban area over the past decade The population is rising rapidly but infrastructure development has not kept pace This area faces issues with water supply and public transport Many residents rely on local train services but the railway stations are far awayMumbra Kalwa Thane city part of the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency is represented by MVA MLA Jitendra Awhad This segment faces significant issues such as illegal construction inadequate sanitation drinking water shortages and traffic congestionVotersIn the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency the KalwaMumbra Assembly constituency has a large number of Muslim voters followed by Marathispeaking voters and then North Indians In Kalyan Rural Marathi voters are predominant with North Indians as a significant minority Kalyan East also has a mix of Marathi and North Indian voters Dombivli includes Brahmin Marathi Gujarati Jain Marwari Konkani and South Indian voters In Ulhasnagar the Sindhi community is a major factor while Ambernath has a diverse mix of Marathi Muslim and South Indian voters