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Poonam Mahajan, Shaina N C, Smriti Irani and other prominent BJP leaders refuse to take on Priya Dutt in her backyard, as she is almost certain to win from Mumbai North-Central

IT has Mumbai's hippest nightlife district, the domestic and international airport terminals, lovely seafronts,

TOUGH TASK: BJP's Poonam Mahajan has reportedly declined to contest against Priya Dutt, the Congress candidate from the Mumbai North-Central constituency. FILE PIC

swanky clubs and gymkhanas. Yet, nobody from the BJP wants to represent the Mumbai North-Central constituency in the upcoming elections.

So, why do the party's state spokesperson Shaina NC, late Pramod Mahajan's daughter Poonam Mahajan or actor Smriti Irani all of whom reportedly declined to contest from here fear to tread this ground?

"To contest from here would be political suicide for me," said a BJP candidate whose name was considered for the seat. She did not wish to be named. "Priya Dutt is too formidable to beat. Also, logistics favour the Congress, with most areas being heavily Muslim populated." Bandra (east and parts of west), Kurla and parts of Chandivali are Muslim pockets, which traditionally vote for the Congress.

While the BJP has nominated Ram Naik from Mumbai North and Kirit Somaiya from North-East, it has not finalised a candidate from North-Central. Those now being considered for the seat are lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani and the party's state general secretary Vinod Tawde. "Jethmalani has shown interest, but a win seems distant," said a party functionary.

While Jethmalani declined to comment, Tawde was in meetings when MiD DAY contacted him. Shaina confirmed that the party had approached her and she had refused.

"I want to focus on the campaigning. I am more involved in bringing the young voters out to vote," she said. Her proximity to Priya is also considered one of the reasons why she declined to contest from here. Poonam Mahajan had made her choice for Mumbai North-East very clear, but the seat went to Somaiya. Irani, meanwhile,  wants to contest from Gujarat.

"The leaders are not keen to contest because they are not very familiar with the area. I don't consider Priya a strong candidate. There are chances of a change," said Raj Purohit, vice president, Mumbai BJP.

Slippery ground
>> After delimitation, the North-Central seat spreads across Bandra (east and west), Kurla, Vile Parle, Kalina and Chandivali.
>> It is considered a Congress base with large pockets of Muslim population.
>> In the former North-West constituency, Dutt defeated her opponent, Shiv Sena candidate Madhukar Sarpotdar by 1,72,043 votes in the 2005 by-elections.
>> After the current seat-sharing pact with the Shiv Sena, the North-Central seat has gone to the BJP.
>> It is not yet clear if the Samajwadi Party wants to contest this seat.