Maharashtra Election: Shiv Sena's Rajesh Khandare Holds Edge In Dharavi This Poll Season

In the Dharavi constituency, reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, the Congress has held dominance for over 40 years. In this constituency, which has a significant Muslim voter base, the Congress has historically relied on these votes to secure victory.

However, the situation is different this time. A four-way contest is taking place in this constituency, and the Gaikwad family of Congress is facing allegations of dynasty politics.

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The Dharavi redevelopment project, an ambitious initiative of the Maha Yuti government, is also expected to play a significant role in this election. Considering the current scenario, the Maha Yuti candidate from Shiv Sena's Shinde faction, Rajesh Khandare, is currently perceived to have an edge in the race.

The Battle in Dharavi

In the Dharavi constituency, Congress's Varsha Gaikwad served as MLA for four consecutive terms from 2004 to 2019. Now that she has moved to the Lok Sabha, Congress has fielded her sister, Dr. Jyoti Gaikwad, in her place. The Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena also sought this seat but did not secure it. Following accusations from the Maha Vikas Aghadi of Congress granting the opportunity to represent Dharavi to the same family for four decades, the dynamics of the election have shifted.

On the other hand, the Maha Yuti has fielded Rajesh Khandare from Shiv Sena's Shinde faction in this constituency. Manohar Raibage is contesting from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) this time, while the Mumbai Vice President of the Aam Aadmi Party, Adv. Sandeep Katke, has filed as an independent candidate. The UBT (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction's Baburao Mane had initially filed as a candidate but later withdrew his nomination, setting the stage for a four-way battle in Dharavi.

Maha Vikas Aghadi on the Backfoot

The Thackeray faction strongly advocated for this seat, and Baburao Mane from the faction even filed his nomination but withdrew it at the last moment, leaving lingering dissatisfaction within the faction. This decision may potentially impact Congress negatively. Additionally, local Congress workers feel disappointed about the party's continued preference for a single family's representation in Dharavi for the past 40 years. After Varsha Gaikwad was elected to the Lok Sabha, there was a demand to allow other party workers the chance to contest. However, Congress's decision to give the ticket again to the Gaikwad family has put the Maha Vikas Aghadi on the back foot.

Division of Votes Likely to be Decisive

Dharavi has a considerable population of Buddhist, Charmakar, North Indian, South Indian, and Muslim voters. Among these, Muslim votes are expected to be decisive, with the possibility of vote division among other communities. Due to the Congress's long-standing practice of allowing only one family to represent Dharavi, locals are increasingly vocal against the perceived dynasty politics. Consequently, issues of Dharavi redevelopment and dynasty politics are likely to be the primary topics of the election campaign, giving Maha Yuti an apparent advantage at the moment.

Persistent Issues in the Constituency

This constituency has 145,525 male and 115,449 female voters. However, despite its large population, many issues have remained unresolved for years. Opponents accuse Congress of failing to address these problems during its tenure. In several areas, public toilets are either absent or reportedly handed over to contractors by Congress, with allegations that citizens must pay to access toilets. The issue of waterlogging during monsoons is common in many wards, and Congress has been unsuccessful in resolving this over the years. Dharavi also faces severe traffic congestion. These persisting issues indicate that the Maha Vikas Aghadi could face challenges in this election.

Development Work by Maha Yuti Worth Crores

This constituency has around 125,000 female voters, with over 75,000 of them reportedly benefiting from the Ladli Behen Yojana. Additionally, thousands of people have benefited from various other government schemes. The Dharavi redevelopment project, if executed, is expected to improve citizens' health and provide additional facilities. The opposition from the Maha Vikas Aghadi towards this ambitious project has led to some resentment against them. The thousands of beneficiaries of government schemes and development work worth crores give an apparent advantage to Shiv Sena's Shinde faction candidate, Rajesh Khandare, in the Dharavi constituency.