Mumbai: The Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar assembly constituency, located in the Mumbai Suburban district and designated as seat number 171, is poised for a fierce battle ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections. The stakes are high in the race for the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat, which is part of the Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency, and the constituency is drawing significant attention due to intense competition among prominent leaders in the fray. With a huge Muslim population, this election will feature a tough fight between two prominent leaders – Samajwadi Party State chief and current MLA Abu Asim Azmi, and Nawab Malik from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Ajit Pawar faction.
The Fight Has Moved Beyond MVA vs Mahayuti
The fight in the constituency has turned personal, escalating from a battle between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the MahaYuti alliance. It can be said that the leaders involved in the contest have made this fight a matter of prestige. Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi and Nawab Malik, who were once good friends and began their political careers together in the Samajwadi Party, now find themselves on opposing sides. The equation has changed, and these former friends are now foes, facing off against each other in a direct contest in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024.
महाविकास आघाडी की सरकार आने पर हमारी सब से पहले मांग हेट स्पीच के खिलाफ आतंक विरोधी जैसा सख्त कानून बनाने की रहेगी।#SamajwadiParty #HamaraGovandi #MankhurdShivajiNagar #AbuAsimAzmi #MahaVikasAghadi #HateSpeech pic.twitter.com/dV5mguZctw
— Abu Asim Azmi (@abuasimazmi) November 12, 2024
मानखुर्द शिवाजी नगर की जनता जिंदाबाद!#MankhurdShivajiNagar #HamaraGovandi #AkhileshYadav #SamajwadiParty #AbuAsimAzmi #MaharashtraElection2024 pic.twitter.com/jIlx03cl7Z
— Abu Asim Azmi (@abuasimazmi) November 11, 2024
Abu Asim Azmi is contesting in the elections for his fourth term and has been elected as the MLA of the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency for three consecutive times since 2009. On the other hand, Nawab Malik who is the current MLA from the nearby Anushakti Nagar constituency, left his seat for his daughter Sana Malik and decided to contest from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat. Nawab Malik won from the Anushakti Nagar constituency in 2009 on the ticket from then united NCP and lost the seat to united Shiv Sena’s Tukaram Kate in 2014 with a margin of less than 1,000 votes. However, he was able to regain the seat in 2019 after he defeated Shiv Sena’s Tukaram Kate with a margin of over 12,000 votes.
पूरा माफिया राज गुंडा राज खतम करदेंगे#NawabMalik #BadlavZarooriHai #RashtravadiCongress #NayaGovandi #VoteForNawabMalik pic.twitter.com/fQOiCJhQMj
— Nawab Malik نواب ملک नवाब मलिक (@nawabmalikncp) November 12, 2024
#WATCH | #MaharashtraAssemblyElections NCP leader and candidate from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Nawab Malik, says “Statements like ‘batenge toh katenge’ are disgusting. There can be no benefit from this. This kind of politics has caused a lot of damage in Uttar Pradesh…Even after… pic.twitter.com/HBWgNmfO0M
— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2024
Check the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly Elections results for the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar assembly constituency.
Key Candidates In Fray For Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Seat
Besides Abu Asim Azmi and Nawab Malik, other strong candidates are in the fray for the assembly constituency and could potentially surprise when results are announced. Their chances may improve due to a fierce competition among prominent contenders, which could lead to a significant vote split and confusion among the voters. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI) website, a total of 22 candidates will be contesting in the upcoming elections for the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has fielded Ateeque Ahmad Khan, while Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has given ticket ticket to Suresh (Bullet) Patil. Patil is backed by the MahaYuti alliance, as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided not to extend its support to Nawab Malik who is contesting from the MahaYuti alliance’s NCP Ajit P{awar faction.
BJP Helping Nawab Malik By Not Supporting Him?
The BJP has made its stand clear on the hot seat where a close contest and a fierce battle is expected between Abu Asim Azmi and Nawab Malik. BJP has made it clear that the saffron party will not back Nawab Malik in the upcoming elections, citing its old feud and statements given by the leader against the party in the past. A controversy emerged as Nawab Malik openly made statements against then NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede targeting the BJP government during the Cordelia Cruise drugs case, involving Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan.
Nawab Malik’s son-in-law Sameer Khan, who passed away recently, was also arrested by Sameer Wankhede in an alleged drugs case. Nawab Malik targeted Wankhede and claimed that the controversy was stirred on the order of the BJP government. MVA was ruling in the state during the time of the controversy and Nawab Malik was the Minority Affairs Minister when the incident occurred. Maharashtra BJP Chief Devendra Fadnavis announced that the party will not campaign for Ajit Pawar-led NCP candidate Nawab Malik and also said that there is no place for Malik in the government, if MahaYuti comes to power in the state.
BJP’s Decision May Work In Malik’s Favour
The BJP’s decision to not support Nawab Malik might prove beneficial for the leader as the area is dominated by the Muslim population and people belonging to the minority community in the region might not welcome a candidate who is being backed by the saffron party. The sentiments of the Muslim voters might go in the favour of Nawab Malik and this might transform into a large chunk of Muslim votes in the favour of Malik. BJP has announced that the party will back Shiv Sena Eknath Shinde faction candidate Suresh Patil and also said that he is the official MahaYuti candidate from the constituency.
Other Muslim Candidates Might Change The Equation
AIMIM candidate Ateeque Ahmad Khan might also be able to further divide the Muslim votes, as he is also considered a strong candidate from the constituency. Independent candidate Waseem Javed Khan has also managed to make a name among the people for his works in the constituency, especially in the education and health department.
An Independent candidate who goes by the name Nawab Malik is also contesting in the upcoming assembly elections from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat. The candidate might be contesting to further increase the confusion among the voters who might fall for the trick of the similar name.
Will The Elections End Political Career Of Abu Asim Azmi?
Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra chief and MLA, Abu Asim Azmi is contesting for his fourth term from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat. The area has been his bastion since 2009, where he has managed to win for three consecutive times. However, in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, BJP and the MahaYuti has left no stone unturned to stop his winning streak. The BJP’s decision of not supporting Nawab Malik in the elections will turn into his favour and the BJP is supporting Shiv Sena candidate in the elections which will further increase his chances of winning in the election.
However, BJP is supporting his daughter from the Anushakti Nagar seat which was left by Nawab Malik for her. She is the official candidate of the MahaYuti alliance from the constituency. Abu Asim Azmi’s long political career is at stake and losing from the seat will deeply hamper his reputation. The career which started along with Nawab Malik might end due to him. However, only time will tell about the fate of the Samajwadi Party veteran leader after the results for the elections will be declared on November 23.
The huge number of Muslim candidates in the fray for the elections in the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Assembly might divide the votes to a large extent which may benefit the MahaYuti-backed Shiv Sena candidate Suresh Patil and he may be able to get victory on the Makhurd Shivaji Nagar if majority votes remain en bloc in favour of the saffron party.
Burning Issues in the Constituency
1) Drug Menace: The constituency is long battling from the issue of drug menace which has seen a constant rise since the recent past. The people in the constituency are facing many issues, however, the main issue which seems to impact the elections and voters is drug addiction. People in the constituency claim that there is a spike in the number of youngsters turning to drug addiction in the constituency. They say that youngsters are doing drugs in the open in the middle of the road.
2) Pollution From Dumping Ground: The people living in the constituency are struggling from the issue of air pollution which is mainly caused due to the dumping ground. There are reports that the life expectancy of the people has reduced to an alarming level due the dumping of the medical waste in the area. The smoke emanating from the burning of the medical waste and dry garbage has effected the health of the people living in the vicinity to large extent. They are complaining of suffering from eye irritation, difficulty in breathing and other pollution related problems.
3) Cleanliness: The people living in the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency are facing civic apathy as there are open drains and the issue of water drainage in the constituency. The civic authorities have drastically failed in providing sanitation and clean area for the people to live in the region. The vast slums in the area witness waterlogging and other issues during the monsoons. The children have to go to schools by dodging these open drains which might risk their lives. The lack of cleanliness and poor hygiene invites breeding grounds for bacteria, viruses and mosquitoes leading to infections like food poisoning, respiratory illnesses and skin infections.
4) Women Safety: The issue of rising drug menace in the region has raised serious concerns over the issue of women safety in the constitution. Youngsters are involved in doing drugs in the constituency which might raise the number of crimes against women in the region. The people concerned about the safety of their children and women amid rising drug abuse in the area.
As the elections approach, it will be interesting to see whether Abu Asim Azmi’s stronghold will be captured, with political heat rising in the region. Only time will tell if the BJP and the MahaYuti alliance can end Abu Asim Azmi’s winning streak and capitalise on the anti-incumbency factor. Whether the BJP’s masterstroke of withdrawing its support from NCP Ajit Pawar faction candidate Nawab Malik will translate into votes remains to be seen.
