Mumbai politicians gear up for Maharashtra Assembly elections

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray meets BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. File pic

With the state Assembly election looming in October 2024, city politicians are ramping up their activities. MLAs and corporators are now meeting with senior civic officials and organising a range of programmes at the ward level.

This week was full of political visits to civic headquarters. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and BJP Mumbai MLA Ashish Shelar met with civic chief Bhushan Gagrani on Monday to discuss various civic issues. On Thursday, former MP and leader of Shiv Sena Sanjay Nirupam met Gagrani regarding hawkers, a major topic of discussion in the city. On the same day, 45 former corporators of the ruling Shiv Sena party met with Additional Municipal Commissioner Amit Saini and Abhijit Bangar to discuss issues related to hospitals, HBT clinics, cemeteries, and gardens. "These are not state government-related issues that would impact the Assembly election. These are civic issues that need to be discussed with higher authorities in their respective departments. We decided to meet all together. Local issues can be discussed at the ward level," said Shiv Sena spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre.

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On Thursday, the Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburbs, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, held a meeting with former BJP corporators in his chamber at the civic headquarters. During the meeting, the former corporators discussed various civic and state authority-related issues. "This is a routine meeting with the guardian minister," said Vinod Mishra, a former corporator. "Guardian ministers used to have regular meetings before. During the Lok Sabha election, this routine was interrupted due to the code of conduct. Now he has resumed the meetings," Mishra added.

Meanwhile, former corporators have started organising various programmes in their wards and meeting local civic officials. Surekha Patil, a former BJP corporator from Kandivli, is organising an Aadhaar Card camp in her ward next week. Former corporator from Sewri, Sachin Padwal, has begun a drive to address local civic and state government issues such as ration offices, drainage, and cleaning. "This is not related to the election; it's routine work. I was a corporator, and people still come to me with various issues. I just try to solve them," said Padwal.

Rohan Rathod, former BJP corporator from Andheri West, is holding a cleaning drive in his ward. "This is routine work. As a former corporator, it's my duty to keep the ward clean," Rathod added.

Oct
Month Assembly polls will be held