BJP wins big in suburbs, Sena retains Marathi votes

Gujarati voters, expected to move away from BJP over demonetisation, stick with party; north Indian voters too choose BJP over Sena

Mumbai: On a day of story after story on inroads made by the BJP into traditional strongholds and established citadels, the Shiv Sena managed to retain its hold on the Marathi vote bank. The western suburbs, though, belonged to the BJP, which poll watchers say was due to the overwhelming support it received from the north Indian and Gujarati communities. This, they add, counts as a major swing factor in the BMC polls.

The Gujarati community’s support helped the BJP notch up impressive wins in Borivli, Malad (West), Dindoshi and Goregaon Assembly constituencies. In Mulund, another Gujarati-dominated area, BJP won all six wards (103-108), in the process disproving speculation about the community having moved away from the party due to demonetisation.

Long considered Sena strongholds, Goregaon and Dindoshi saw the BJP winning five of seven and three of seven wards respectively. The party emerged victorious in upmarket Malabar Hill and Colaba constituencies as well.

Sena’s loss, BJP’s win

Bringing in leaders from north India for campaigning in the city appears to have paid off for the BJP, especially in areas like Charkop and Kandivali, where the party left the Sena and Congress behind. BJP leaders say Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s development-driven campaign captured voter imagination and surmounted language barriers. “It’s clear that our appeal for development was appreciated all over the city. We have gained seats in central Mumbai and even in places like Girgaum. People want development, and it has been proven, yet again,” said BJP Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar.

Despite its claims to the contrary, the Sena failed to make an impression on Gujarati and north Indian voters. It, however, consolidated its traditional Marathi voter base in Dadar, Worli, Parel and Prabhadevi. In 2012, the party had lost all six wards in its traditional stronghold of Dadar to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). This time, barring ward number 190 where the BJP’s Sheetal Gambhir won, the Sena recaptured all seats in Mahim and Worli Assembly constituencies.

In Parel village, Sena rebel Nana Ambole’s wife Tejaswini, who contested on a BJP ticket, lost to the Sena’s Sindhu Masurkar. Marathi-dominated Sewri and Byculla Assembly constituencies too witnessed Sena wins.