Maharashtra elections 2024: Can Varun Sardesai reclaim Thackeray bastion?; watch

The Vandre East Bandra East constituency home to the commercial hub Bandra Kurla Complex BKC and the Thackeray residence Matoshree is set to witness a highstakes electoral battle The traditional Shiv Sena stronghold will see Varun Sardesai a trusted aide of Aaditya Thackeray face off against NCP Ajit Pawar candidate and sitting MLA Zeeshan SiddiqueThis is not merely a fierce contest for the candidates it is also a significant test for the Thackeray family and the Shiv Sena UBT The opposing side however faces its own trials Zeeshanrsquos father former state minister Baba Siddique was recently murdered near the formerrsquos office Having recently joined the NCP Ajit Pawar faction this election will serve as a litmus test for the young legislator In the 2019 election Siddique won this seat by defeating Vishwanath Mahadeshwar of the undivided Shiv Sena a former mayor of MumbaiBandra Kurla Complex which is plagued by traffic congestion and poor air quality PicAshish RajeThe Thackeray camp views the seat as prestigious Historically it was won by the undivided Shiv Sena in 2009 and 2014 but they lost it in 2019 when Zeeshan secured victory on a Congress ticket Now the Congress as an MVA ally has conceded the Thackeray factionrsquos claim to this seat Following the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year the Sena UBT has intensified its efforts here fielding Varun Sardesai a trusted aide of Aaditya Thackeray Uddhav Thackeray has assigned his key strategist Anil Parab also the vibhag pramukh for the area to ensure Sardesairsquos successVoter demographicsThe constituency represents a crosssection of society encompassing slum clusters along the railways MHADA buildings in Kherwadi the Government Colony and BKC the latest address of India Inc It comprises Marathispeaking voters Muslims Dalits and a mix of economic classesmdashfrom slums to new residential towersCarved out in 2009 the constituency was previously part of Kherwadi and was traditionally a Congress stronghold due to its Muslim and Dalit voters With redrawn boundaries Shiv Senarsquos Bala Sawant won the seat in 2009 and 2014 Following Sawantrsquos death in 2015 the byelection saw Congress fielding former chief minister Narayan Rane who had earlier lost to Shiv Senarsquos Vaibhav Naik in the Konkan region Rane was unsuccessful with Sawantrsquos widow Trupti winning the byelectionIn 2019 the Shiv Sena fielded former Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar denying a ticket to Trupti Sawant The ensuing division in votes spurred by Sawantrsquos independent candidacy facilitated Zeeshanrsquos win The constituency has around 40000 to 45000 loyal Shiv Sena voters from previous elections and even at the peak of Raj Thackerayrsquos Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS agitation this base remained largely unaffected The Sena UBT now aims to reclaim these votes believing that Zeeshan may struggle to retain minority support as an NCP Ajit Pawarcandidate aligned with the BJPled Mahayuti allianceSardesai claims that Shiv Sena UBT has a vote base of 40000 to 50000 in the seat and does not foresee a close contest in the current scenario ldquoVandre East has traditionally been a Sena stronghold However in the 2019 election Zeeshan won primarily due to two factors the vote split between Vishwanath Mahadeshwar and Trupti Sawant and Congressrsquos support This time after our consistent groundwork highlighting Zeeshanrsquos fiveyear neglect we believe the votes will swing in our favour Furthermore Zeeshanrsquos shift from Congress to NCP Ajit Pawarwill work against him as evidenced by the trends and vote sharing in this yearrsquos Lok Sabha elections With Congress on our side we expect those votes to turn towards usrdquoZeeshan boasts that nearly 70 to 80 per cent of the constituency supports him and wants him to repeat his terms He alleged that Congress was playing games with him even after his fatherrsquos passing ldquoThey misled me They kept saying to me that I would win from this seat unopposed etc They kept me in the dark about everything and suddenly announced the Shiv Sena UBT candidate from this seatrdquoHe added ldquoPeople of this constituency have seen my work and my fatherrsquos work and want me to repeat my termrdquoWhen midday met the rivals separately who have started campaigning both candidates appeared to share common ground regarding the constituencyrsquos key issues expressing similar concerns about redevelopment water issues and air pollutionVarun Sardesai Shiv Sena UBTShiv Sena UBT candidate Varun Sardesai at his office in Bandra East on November 5 PicsKirti Surve ParadeWhat is your stance on redevelopment projects especially SRA Slum Rehabilitation Authority schemes Given the concerns about vertical slums emerging from this policy do you think the scheme should be reformed paused or replaced If so what alternatives would you suggestI think the most important issue in this constituency is housing which is directly connected to the state government not the BMC Almost 90 per cent of the population in Vandre East lives in slums On a macro level everyone wants redevelopment and permanent homes But on a micro level the issues vary from area to area For example Behrampada has been a slum for the last 4050 years with no signs of redevelopment because the land is still with the Railways and hasnrsquot been transferred to the state government Meanwhile in Khar East a predominantly Maharashtrian area land belonging to the defence department hasnrsquot been transferred either Just a minute away from here Government Colony residents await redevelopment and ownership of their houses The common issue is that every resident wants a permanent house In the last five years the incumbent MLA despite being in the government hasnrsquot managed to push a single project forward and lacks a report card to showRedevelopment is a major issue here and the SRA projects are often delayed due to developersrsquo unfulfilled promises People have been living in transit camps for five to fifteen years without permanent housing This is a state issue and it will be my priorityWhat plans do you have to improve road quality and pedestrian footpaths How will you address lastmile connectivity challenges to ensure ease of access for residents Are you aware of any highrisk areas what immediate steps will you take to address theseTraffic is another key issue BKC is now the commercial capital of Mumbai Hence the traffic problems faced by Bandra residents are huge During peak hours if one tries to go towards Bandra East station it is a big headacheMaking Khar Bandra and Santacruz East stations pedestrianfriendly is on my agenda Apart from this there is a need for better roads and water supply Parts of the population in this constituency live in highrises where houses cost roughly around R8 to 9 crore yet sometimes they donrsquot have access to clean water All these issues need to be solved In the past two and half years BMC corporators have been nonexistent Residents are not sure whom to approach for their civic issues That is why all of these things have gotten very complicatedThe BKC Metro station is a prime example of how poor planning can be There is no lastmile connectivity You donrsquot get any rickshaws or buses outside the station There should be a dedicated rickshawtaxi stand or bus stop The fact that we have to even discuss these basic issues shows the apathy of the planning institutions towards our city This has to changePublic transport services are vital to city mobility What measures would you advocate for to improve their efficiency reach and accessibility for all citizens particularly in highdensity areasThe accessibility around railway stations is inadequate In todayrsquos techsavvy world itrsquos unacceptable that itrsquos challenging to walk straight on a road for five minutes Many public representatives have been focussing only on their personal ambitions I aim to change this Basic changes like pedestrianfriendly roads near stations are quick fixes but require strong willpower This has been missing so far I feel For instance it takes 1520 minutes to get in the train from Dadar and reach Bandra but the commute from Bandra to nearby areas can take 3035 minutes due to rickshaw refusals These arenrsquot minor issuesmdashthey impact lakhs of commuters every single day This is a major priority for meWhat initiatives do you propose to address water contamination How will you ensure reliable water access for every household in the areaWater contamination and irregular supply are persistent issues across Bandra East even in affluent areas near BKC where flats cost between R5 to R10 crore Residents pay high taxes but still lack clean water In other parts of the constituency some people get water only for two hours a day sometimes with low pressure Recently a sewagewater line mixup at Kalanagar caused the contamination of water which our party helped resolve swiftlyHow do you plan to address air pollution How will you promote a cleaner healthier environment for residentsWith my background in civil engineering I understand environmental issues Spot reduction of air pollution is challenging but we can manage traffic to reduce emissions BKC sees daily congestion and worsening air quality If we improve traffic flow we can reduce pollution levels significantly Modern traffic solutions are essential here given the high volume of vehicles entering and exiting BKC daily Infrastructure development contributes to pollutionbut better planning can mitigate thisAre there specific initiatives you would focus on to boost employment especially for youth and marginalised groupsJob creation and unemployment are pressing issues not only in Bandra East but across Maharashtra Major industries initially planned for Maharashtra have moved to Gujarat frustrating youth across the state If the current government remains in power we risk losing more job opportunities This is a vital issue and itrsquos critical to secure jobs here in Maharashtra not export them elsewhereZeeshan Siddique NCP Ajit PawarZeeshan addresses a rally outside Bandra court on TuesdayAs the sitting MLA what are the major issues and problems in this constituency What will be your focus this timeThe biggest issue is housing and land In my opinion the primary concern is pending and delayed redevelopment For instance Behrampada exemplifies the challenges with redevelopment Recently we requested a new city survey of this area due to an ongoing dispute involving residents the state government and Railways Although the survey has been approved it has yet to be conducted The state government needs to acquire this land to resolve a significant redevelopment issue that has been stalled for years Besides this challenges related to health education and basic infrastructure persist Over the past five years we have successfully addressed several of these issues though some remain in progressWhat is your stance on current redevelopment projects particularly the SRA schemes Are there alternatives you would suggestStalled redevelopment is a significant issue here When it comes to slum redevelopment plans the SRA has failed the people SRA was meant to be a transparent peoplecentred initiative but instead redevelopment has stagnated leading to widespread injustice Many residents such as those in the Behrampada slums suffer due to this Upon becoming MLA I found many areas encircled by blue metal sheets with people relocated to transit camps under redevelopment promises Yet builders have failed to provide permanent homes forcing residents to live in these camps for 20 years or longer They receive no rent and no action is taken against these builders We have also demanded the revocation of the 3K clause scheme in Golibar another unresolved slum rehabilitation project in Bandra East The SRA appears to serve developer interests rather than the peoplersquosWhat specific plans do you have to improve road quality and pedestrian footpaths How will you address lastmile connectivity challenges Are there any highrisk areas in your constituency that need immediate attentionTraffic is another major issue here When people talk about encroachments with some living on pedestrian pathways footpaths or under flyovers itrsquos important to recognise that no one chooses to live in such conditions But with a lack of proper housing unfinished builder projects and inadequate rehabilitation where else can these people go While we must show empathy we also need to enforce law and order manage traffic and maintain public utilities like skywalks and footpaths Basic needs such as accessible roads and pedestrian walkways are severely lacking and previous MLAs failed to address these issues There are no proper walking spaces leading to accidents where children and seniors fall and suffer injuries Recently we have made efforts to improve these facilities even though some may consider these minor compared to larger projects We are also working on lastmile connectivity to Metro and railway stations as many residents have requested Additionally the traffic department will address issues with shared autos and refusals to plyIs water contamination and supply an issue in your constituency What initiatives do you propose to address it How will you ensure reliable water access for every householdWater supply is another challenge Many areas struggle with inadequate and poorquality water We have previously held meetings with the BMC hydraulics department regarding these issues The supply has been inadequate and in some areas the water isnrsquot clean The BMC suggested there might be a leak in theTansa pipeline While many of these issues have been addressed there is still room for improvement Clean water and sanitation remain a priorityand we are working to resolve these issues urgentlyAreas like BKC and Kherwadi report high pollution levels How do you plan to address air pollution and promote a healthier environment for residentsContinuous construction work in these areas with builders neglecting basic guidelines on emissions and dust control has worsened air pollution Recently both the chief minister and BMC issued air pollution mitigation guidelines but I can assure you that not one builder has adhered to them Corruption prevents regulatory agencies from enforcing these measures effectively Although BKC is seen as a developed area Bharat Nagar slum residents located just behind BKC suffer immensely While development in BKC garners attention we need to focus on the welfare of all residents including those in neglected slumsWhat are your views on job creation or unemployment in your constituency Are there specific initiatives you would focus on to boost employment especially for youth and marginalised groupsIn my view unemployment is at its peak and job opportunities are scarce Despite numerous companies in BKC there is no policy encouraging them to hire local unemployed youth I have personally reached out to some companies as many qualified young people inthis constituency remain jobless while outsiders fill positions in these companies We need initiatives to ensure that local talent benefits from employment opportunities within the constituencyCitizens speakMario Fishery Bandra residentAccording to Bandra resident Mario Fishery transportation walkability and lastmile connectivity is a major issue ldquoThe number of buses or their frequency has reduced Public transport needs to be enhanced There are bad footpaths in many areas barring in and around BKC There are good walking spaces there but in other areas walking is an issue The cycling track which they boasted of is not accessible at many places In BKC you get an accessible track but only from ICICI bank which too will get scrapped I have heard of fewer takersrdquo he saidMaithily Gaokar said ldquoAside from BKC and a few surrounding areas redevelopment in Bandra East and Khar has largely remained an unresolved issue When people think of the Bandra East constituency only BKC and the BandraWorli Sea Link come to mind but other parts need attention Beyond redevelopment water supply and transportation are major concerns There is also an autorickshaw nexus operating outside Bandra East station and Bandra TerminusrdquoTotal number of registered voters in Bandra East13195611712721Total 249104Vote share in previous elections2019Zeeshan Siddique Congress 38337Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Undivided Shiv Sena 32547Trupti Prakash Sawant Independent 24071Akhil Chitre MNS 106832015 ByelectionsTrupti Prakash Sawant Undivided Shiv Sena 52711Narayan Tatu Rane Congress 33703Rahebar Siraj Khan AIMIM 15050Stand a good chance MNS candidateTrupti Sawant MNS candidateTrupti Sawant the widow of Sena leader Prakash Bala Sawant won the 2015 byelections with a large margin defeating Narayan Rane In the 2019 Assembly elections her vote share contributed to a split in votes for the undivided Shiv Sena which ultimately became a decisive factor in Zeeshan Siddiquersquos victory over the Sena candidate After being denied a ticket from Shiv Sena Trupti decided to contest as an independent This election however she is contesting on MNS ticket In 2019 the MNS candidate from Bandra East Akhil Chitre secured only 10648 votesSawant told midday ldquoYes I am contesting as MNSrsquos candidate I have a voter base of 24000 to 25000 I have been continuously working for the people They know me my face and my work in the constituency which I believe will translate into votes Since I have been active on the ground my supporters urged me to contest This time I didnrsquot want to run as an independent as I faced many challenges last timemdashsuch as receiving my symbol very late which made it difficult to connect with people without organised support Until the last moment I was unsure about my candidacy with MNS but I am very grateful to them I know the MNS candidate received few votes last time but I see this as an advantage With both the MNS votes and my voter base combined I believe I can gather a strong number of votes I still feel I have a solid chance in this electionrdquo