Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Mumbai South Central seat to see battle between 2 Senas

Mumbai South Central, a seat with substantial political clout, is the centre of attention as the political landscape prepares for the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

In the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 there was a direct flight between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the Mumbai South Central constituency.

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The Mumbai South Central seat has been a stronghold of Shiv Sena.

CM Shinde-led Shiv Sena has fielded the incumbent MP Rahul Shewale who faces Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

The battle between the two senior political leaders is totally different from the last Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

In the last polls, for the Mumbai North Central seat the battle was between the then undivided Shiv Sena and Congress.

The seat has in the recent past witnessed a political show of strength through roadshows with alliance party supporters. Anil Desai has support of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) party leaders and the supporters comprising of the Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT) whereas Rahul Shewale is being backed by the ruling Mahayuti coalition that includes the BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the CM Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Rahul Shewale is eyeing a third term from the seat. Shewale of the undivided Shiv Sena had won the seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections by a margin of 152,139 votes. With a vote share of 53.19 per cent, he received 424,913 votes, more than the votes cast for Congress candidate Eknath Gaikwad, who had received 272,774 votes (34.19 per cent).

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Shewale won with 381,008 votes. Eknath Gaikwad had got 242,828 votes.

The Mumbai South Central seat comprises six assembly constituencies including Anushaktinagar, Chembur, Dharavi, Sion Koliwada, Wadala and Mahim areas.

Mumbai South Central, home to important areas along with a diversity of different communities in areas like Worli, Mahim, and Sewri that epitomises the city's multiculturalism. The constituency comprises high-rises that coexist with historic industries and now shut mills and contemporary businesses.

The seat has its own diversity that makes it a challenging but fascinating place for political parties vying for power.

Historically, the Mumbai South Central Lok Sabha constituency has long been a stronghold of the Shiv Sena. There has been a change in the constituency's political allegiance in recent years, with the other political parties gaining ground in the areas particularly in places where there is a sizable mixture of different communities.

The debate between development against identity politics is one of the main elements influencing the political discourse in Mumbai South Central seat, the experts suggest.

They say, that while some voters place a higher priority on the provision of jobs and infrastructure, others are drawn to political parties that support cultural and religious identities.

Maharashtra has a total number of 48 constituencies in the state and the Lok Sabha elections this year in the state are being held in five phases. Mumbai is scheduled to vote in the fifth and final phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 and it will take place on May 20. The same day 13 constituencies including Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai South, Washim, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Washim, and Thane.

The results for the polls will be declared on June 4.

The forthcoming elections in Mumbai are anticipated to be fiercely contested. Moreover, the entry of different parties into the fray adds an element of unpredictability to the electoral landscape. Factors such as coalition dynamics, and voter turnout will play crucial roles in determining the outcome of the elections, the experts suggest.