Maharashtra assembly elections 2024: Logjam continues in Mahim

There was no breakthrough for the Mahayuti in the Mahim constituency where the Bharatiya Janata Party wants its ally Shiv Sena to withdraw its candidate to facilitate an easy win for Amit Thackeray, the son of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray. Sena's sitting MLA Sada Sarvankar refused to pull out, saying he would contest the polls at any cost.

On Friday, State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule reiterated his party's support for Amit. "It will be good if Amit Thackeray is there in the Assembly. But it is for Shiv Sena to decide because the constituency is part of their share," he said on Friday. Fadnavis and Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar have publically extended BJP's support to Amit Thackeray, suggesting that the Sena candidate be withdrawn.

Insiders said the Shinde Sena has toughened its stand about not supporting MNS in Mahim after Raj Thackeray predicted that the BJP would install its Chief Minister. Raj also named Devendra Fadnavis as the next CM. In a cordial arrangement, Sena has not given a candidate against MNS's Bala Nandgaonkar in Shivadi, and it is under pressure to withdraw from Mahim as well.

Sada Sarvankar at a rally last year; (right) Amit Thackeray on his way to file his nomination. File pics/Ashish Raje

Sarvankar told reporters on Friday that even DYCM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had said that he was a Mahayuti candidate. "MNS is not part of Mahayuti. So, who is the Mahayuti candidate? I'm. I tell very affirmatively that I'm going to contest and I will not back out," he stated further. According to Sarvankar, he had gone to CM Shinde's official residence Varsha, but couldn't meet the party boss. "Shinde saheb was resting when I went there," he said, giving rise to speculations.

MNS has put 135 candidates across the state for 288-seat Assembly elections, crossing the Mahayuti and MVA candidates. It did not contest the Lok Sabha elections but supported the BJP and campaigned for it in some places.

But it has kept up with the practice of contesting solo in the Assembly elections in which it is expected to divide votes. In a similar vote division in 2009, MNS had emerged as an advantage for Congress. Cutting into the undivided Sena's votes, Raj's party had won 13 MLAs, the performance it hasn't matched to date.