Exclusive | Lok Sabha elections 2024: Will develop sports complexes, theatres and recreation centres, says Sanjay Dina Patil

Mumbai North East’s Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sanjay Dina Patil at his office in Bhandup West on Wednesday. Pic/Aditi Haralkar

The Mumbai North East seat will witness a showdown between BJP's Mihir Kotecha and Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Dina Patil. The former, a sitting MLA, says his focus is on development while the latter, a former MP, claims work he had started is yet to be completed.

Shiv Sena and Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate Sanjay Dina Patil said his priority remained to shut dumping grounds in North East constituency forever as the area had become Mumbai's dump in the past ten years and that it was the local issues that mattered the most than anything else. He said he was a people's worker and the mood on the ground has been in favour of MVA and Uddhav Thackeray.

What do you think is the general mood regarding your party given the current political scenario?
The mood about us is positive this time. When we approach them, they welcome us, unlike last time when they dodged us. The time for change has come. The BJP is asking for votes in the name of Modi, not the candidate. I am asking residents to vote for me as I will be working here.

BJP candidate Mihir Kotecha canvasses for votes in Mumbai North East constituency

The BJP and Mahayuti are focussing on developmental works.
What developmental works? The constituency has gone to the dogs. They promised to remove the dumping ground to bring in more projects, but nothing has turned into reality. I started work on hospitals in the constituency, which is a need here, but those were also not taken up and followed. The works have remained incomplete. I think I will only have to complete and inaugurate them after I win.

What are your key promises for the constituency?
The North East constituency is the dumping ground of Mumbai. The garbage generated in all of Mumbai is dumped between Kanjurmarg to Govandi, including
medical waste. It is badly affecting the health of residents here. They have developed multi-drug resistance and their lifespan has decreased by 15 to 20 years. Shutting down the dumping ground is the first priority, followed by the Dharavi PAP issue and building hospitals.

Mihir Kotecha VS Sanjay Dina Patil

The settling of project-affected people (PAP) from Dharavi and elsewhere to Mulund East is contentious. What is your stand on it?
Firstly, people from Dharavi don't want to come here. And it is not just Dharavi, the entire salt pan land, right from Kanjurmarg, Bhandup and Mulund and octroi land has been given up for PAP. We have our MLAs and elected representatives in Dharavi. They told us residents themselves don't want to come here. We will work on this.

What about development?
The area spanning Bhandup, Vikhroli and Kanjurmarg was an industrial belt. It has rapidly changed into a residential area with huge towers, complexes and colonies coming up. The problems of drainage and water continue. I will strive to improve them. There is more need for sports complexes, theatres and recreation centres, which will be developed.