In Borivli West’s ward 15, only two nominations have been filed — one by BJP candidate and the other by Shiv Sena (UBT) member
Jigna Shah, BJP candidate and Jasjayeshree Edwin Bangera, Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate
Electoral Ward 15 in Borivli West has the lowest number of candidates in the city, with only two nominations filed for the civic polls. The BJP and the Shiv Sena (UBT) are the only parties contesting from this ward. The BJP has fielded Jigna Shah, a financial advisor and investment consultant. She will be contesting against Jasjayeshree Edwin Bangera, a commerce graduate fielded by the Shiv Sena (UBT). Usually, local elections see many candidates, including several independents. This time, however, the contest in ward no. 15 is a straight fight, leaving voters with just two choices.
Speaking with mid-day, Shah said she was surprised that the contest turned into a straight fight. “This is my first election, and I never expected it to be a one-on-one contest. I am prepared for the battle and confident of winning,” she said. Ward No. 15 falls under Mumbai’s R Central ward and covers areas such as Saibaba Nagar, part of Kora Kendra, and Kalpana Chawla Chowk. It also includes prominent landmarks like Veer Savarkar Garden and Prabodhankar Thackeray theatre.
Ward No 15 covers areas like Saibaba Nagar, part of Kora Kendra, and Kalpana Chawla Chowk. PICS/NIMESH DAVE
Surprisingly, even the Congress and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), which are known rivals of the BJP, have not put up any candidates. Congress leaders said they were unaware of the exact reasons for not fielding a candidate for the ward. A local Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, meanwhile, said that although the ward is considered a BJP stronghold due to its large Gujarati and Jain population, the contest would not be easy for the BJP. “This will not be a cakewalk for the BJP candidate. We will put up a tough fight,” Bangera told mid-day.
Despite Borivli being considered a BJP stronghold, senior party leader and Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Borivli MLA Sanjay Upadhyay are leaving no stone unturned to reach out to voters and ensure the victory of all party candidates. “We will reach every household and every voter, and ask them to support the development vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for Mumbai,” Upadhyay said.
He also expressed confidence that the Mahayuti would succeed in installing its mayor in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Before 2017, the Shiv Sena (united) and the BJP jointly ran the BMC. However, in the 2017 civic poll, the undivided Shiv Sena and the BJP contested separately. The Sena emerged as the single largest party with 84 seats, while the BJP won 82 seats, in the 227-member civic body. Elections to the BMC and 28 other municipal corporations across Maharashtra, will be held on January 15.
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