Mumbai: The ensuing Maharashtra assembly elections are the first direct battle between the Mahayuti and MVA after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The campaigns have reached at last stages and PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have also conducted election rallies in Mumbai. Being the capital city, the battle to lead in Mumbai is what any political party wants.

Mumbai has 36 assembly constituencies, including Mumbai city and suburbs. Some of the key constituencies in the western suburbs include Dahisar, Borivali, Malad, Kandivali, Goregaon, Bandra, Andheri and Jogeshwari, and key constituencies in the eastern suburbs are Mulund, Bhandup, Ghatkopar, Chembur and Kurla.

Battle In Mumbai’s Versova

Versova (164) assembly constituency was formed after the delimitation in 2008. It is part of Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, along with five other constituencies: Goregaon, Jogeshwari East, Dindoshi, Andheri West and Andheri East. In its first assembly elections in 2009, the seat was represented by Congress and in 2014 was snatched by BJP. The BJP has renominated its two-term sitting MLA Bharati Lavekar. BJP’s Lavekar is the Mahayuti candidate, while the MVA has fielded Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Haroon Khan.  

The seat falls in Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, which saw the most intense Sena Vs Sena battle during the Lok Sabha. Notably, Sena UBT’ Amol Kirtitkar was declared winner initially, however after recounting, Waikar was declared the winner with a very thin margin. Thus, the Sena UBT’s candidate will prove to be a tough contender for the BJP during assembly polls in this seat.

Last Poll Statistics

In its first assembly elections in 2009, Congress’ Baldev Khosa was elected as the MLA from Versova defeated undivided Shiv Sena’s Yashodhar Phanse. In 2014, BJP snatched the seat from Congress, and BJP’s Bharti Lavekar defeated sitting MLA Khosa with a margin of 26,398 votes and in 2019 too Lavekar defeated Khosa, this time with a margin of 5,186 votes.

Voting stats in Versova seat during 2019 assembly polls

In the MVA seat sharing, the seat went into Sena UBT’s kitty and the party has fielded Haroon Khan against two-term MLA Bharti Lavekar.

Constituency’s Performance During 2024 Lok Sabha Polls

Versova assembly falls in Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency. In 2024 Lok Sabha, Shiv Sena’s Ravindra Waikar won the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat with a total of 4,52,664 votes and Sena UBT’s Amol Kirtikar got 4,52,596 votes. From the Versova assembly constituency, Waikar got 59,397 votes and Kirtikar got 80,487 votes.

About Versova Seat

It is not a reserved seat and is allotted to General Category candidates. During 2019 assembly elections, the total registered voters were 2,85,116 and the voter turnout was 42.38 percent.