Maharashtra Assembly polls: Mumbai’s traders may prefer BJP

In the business capital of the country where roughly 30 per cent of the population is Gujarati, a Modi wave seems to have surged. Coupled with a strong anti-incumbency sentiment, the business community of the city is highly likely to prefer the BJP in power.

Popular opinion in constituencies with high Gujarati-Marwadi population such as Vile Parle, Borivali, Kandivali, Mumbadevi, Bandra, Malabar Hill and Dahisar is that businesses will flourish if the BJP comes to power. Some also expressed happiness over the end of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.

“Shiv Sainiks resorted to arm-twisting techniques and dadagiri. They would threaten to damage your shop if you didn’t pay ‘vargani’ [contribution for celebrating Marathi festivals]. If I am not a Marathi and I don’t want to celebrate Ganeshotsav, why should I be threatened?” asked Kiran Dedhiya, a 35-year-old businessman who owns a family-run shop in Borivali.

The Gujarati-Jain, Marwadi-Jain and Kutchi-Jain communities run almost 95 per cent businesses in this suburb, which has traditionally been the stronghold of the BJP.

The party has fielded its Maratha face Vinod Tawde in Borivali. Some residents expressed apprehension about this move. “He lives in Vile Parle, he has never worked in this area. What is the point of giving us a candidate who hardly knows the problems of this area?” asked Kanti Dedhiya, a migrant from the Rann of Kutch, who works at a local shop here.

Retorting to the Sena’s comment about Gujaratis milking the Marathi manoos, he said businesses in the city would die if Gujaratis and Marwadis left the area. “These Maharashtrians can’t do business. They want to work from 10 to 6, they want an off on weekends. They can’t do the hard work that business requires,” he said.

Dhiren Shah, a solicitor living in Vile Parle, said the Sena’s comments only made him think seriously about voting for the BJP. “They have dug their own grave by saying this. In my constituency, the Sena candidate is a decent guy. But just because the Sena has said this, I will consider voting for the BJP,” he said.

In Vile Parle, the Sena’s Shashikant Patkar is competing with the BJP’s Parag Alawni, the MNS’ Suhas Shinde and the Congress’ Krishna Hegde. Many suggest that the Congress and the NCP weren’t even considered to be in the fray.

Diamond exporter Kirit Bhansali, who lives in Bandra (West) said the business community had traditionally supported and would continue to support the BJP.