The Bandra east (Vandre East) constituency, part of the 36 assembly seats in Mumbai, is set to witness a fierce battle with emotions, loyalty and even some political royalty at stake. The incumbent MLA from the seat, Zeeshan Siddique is set to take on Shiv Sena UBT’s Varun Sardesai in Bandra East. There is also Truptti Bala Sawant in the fray from the Raj Thackeray led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
However, the changed political equations and loyalties in Maharashtra in the last five years and the gunning down of Baba Siddique (Zeeshan’s father) last month is set to make this seat one of the most fiercely contested poll battles in the 2024 Maharashtra elections. Varun Sardesai is cousin of Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray and Matoshree – the family home of the Thackerays where the late Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray lived – falls in Bandra east constituency.
Incumbent MLA Zeeshan Siddique
Zeeshan Siddique is the incumbent MLA from the seat and is contesting again this time. However, last time Zeeshan Siddique fought and won on a Congress ticket. This time, Zeeshan Siddique is contesting on NCP Ajit Pawar led faction. Siddique had won with a margin of 5,790 votes.
Last time too, Zeeshan’s victory was attributed largely to the infighting in undivided Shiv Sena after the party denied ticket to sitting MLA Truptti Sawant and instead gave the ticket to then Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar. Zeeshan Siddique had won with a margin of 5,790 votes.
Vandre East pic.twitter.com/5xflSlZ0xZ
— Zeeshan Siddique (@zeeshanBabaS) November 5, 2024
However, Zeeshan Siddique’s father Baba Siddique had joined Ajit Pawar led NCP in January, 2024. Later, Zeeshan Siddique was suspended from Congress over alleged cross-voting in the Maharashtra Legislative Council election. However, Siddique denied the allegations and in a recent interview alleged that he was not allowed to work by Shiv Sena (UBT), part of the MVA, even though he was a Congress MLA.
Challenger Varun Sardesai
Varun Sardesai from Shiv Sena (UBT) has been associated with Shiv Sena’s youth wing for long and is known for designing and implementing the poll strategy for the party. In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections this year, Varun Sardesai was seen campaigning for the party candidates too.
Varun was also instrumental in ensuring Shiv Sena (UBT) youth wing’s victory in the Mumbai University senate elections.
एक चिन्ह, एक पक्ष, एक विचार !
वांद्रे पूर्वमध्ये फक्त शिवसेना उद्धव बाळासाहेब ठाकरेंचीच धगधगणार मशाल ! pic.twitter.com/ZAdaFFwfjG
— Varun Sardesai (@SardesaiVarun) November 10, 2024
The Sena UBT has been banking on Varun’s educational qualifications and his organisational skills. Both Varun Sardesai and Zeeshan Siddique are in their early 30s, presenting the voters in the constituency with a chance to choose a young representative.
The Bandra East Constituency: An Introduction
The Bandra East constituency truly represents a picture of contradictions. The constituecy is home to the business hub – the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on one hand and on the other hand it is also home to large swaths of slums in Bandra east near the railway station.
The Bandra east seat houses a number of government buildings and slums. However, in the last decade, a number of high-profile buildings and constructions have also come up in Bandra East near the MIG colony. Matoshree, where Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray lives along with family, also comes under the Bandra East constituency.
The Bandra East constituency was created as a separate assembly segment after the 2008 delimitation. The Bandra East constituency has traditionally been a Congress party dominated seat. However, with the change in alliance partners and the political upheaval witnessed in the state in last five years, the seat is set to witness a nail-biting finish this elections.
Voter Issues In Bandra East Constituency
The main issues faced by the people in the constituency is that of redevelopment. That is natural, given the slums in the constituency. However, there are also a number of civic issues that the area faces. Lack of open playing grounds for children has long been a concern in this constituency.
The bad conditions of roads and lack of hygiene is also a problem that the constituency has been facing for a long time. Every monsoon, school children including kids are forced to walk through the dirty water that gets collected due to potholes and lack of maintained roads.
The construction of the underground Mumbai Metro has also led to traffic woes in the area. Besides, the high population in the area also merits more and better government hospitals or medical clinics.
Mostly, the voters in Bandra east belong to lower middle class. The expectations range from demand for good roads to availability of clean drinking water and civic facilities like open playing grounds to affordable public health options.
The Contest
The constituency is home to a large number of Muslims, North Indian and Maharashtrian voters. The contest this time hinges on whether the Muslim voters will back Zeeshan Siddique, the MLA’s traditional votebank, despite him joining hands with the BJP led Mahayuti alliance.
For Varun Sardesai, the challenge will be to overcome the sympathy factor Zeeshan has after the latter’s father, Baba Siddique, was gunned down in Bandra east on the night of October 12. Shiv Sena UBT’s Varun Sardesai also has to ensure that his visibility in the constituency is more than Zeeshan Siddique who is the incumbent MLA from the seat. All in all, it’s battle on in Bandra east.
