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.

Mumbai’s Bhandup To Witness Fierce Sena Vs Sena Battle

Bhandup West (157) constituency was formed as the delimitation in 2008. It falls in Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency, along with other five constituencies namely Mulund, Vikhroli, Ghatkopar West, Ghatkopar East and Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar. Bhandup has been the stronghold of Shiv Sena (undivided) and two Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations’s (BMC) standing committee chairmen come from this area, namely Yashodhar Phanse and Ramesh Korgaonkar. Korgaonkar is the sitting MLA from Bhandup West. In 2014, undivided Shiv Sena’s Ashok Patil was elected as the MLA.

After the division of Shiv Sena in 2022, Korgaonkar chose to go with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, while Patil stayed with Uddhav Thackeray. For the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, sitting Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Korgaonkar is the Mahayuti candidate from Bhandup West, while the MVA has fielded Shiv Sena UBT leader, former MLA Ashok Patil. There is no doubt that the Bhandup West constituency will see an intense fight between both factions of Shiv Sena.

The MNS also has a good hold in this constituency and for this election, MNS has fielded Shirish Sawant, who could be a tough competition to both factions of Shiv Sena.

Past Poll Statistics

In its first assembly elections in Bhandup West in 2009, MNS’ Shishir Shinde was elected as the MLA. In 2014, Shiv Sena snatched the seat and Ashok Patil defeated BJP’s Manoj Kotak with a margin of 4,772 votes. In 2019, Shiv Sena fielded multiple-term corporator and BMC standing committee chairman Ramesh Korgaonkar and he defeated MNS’ Jalgaonkar with a margin of 29,173 votes.

Voting in Bhandup West seat during 2019 assembly polls

Performance During 2024 Lok Sabha Polls

Bhandup West falls in the Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency along with five other constituencies, namely Mulund, Vikhroli, Ghatkopar West, Ghatkopar East and Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar. In 2024 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had fielded Mulund MLA Mihir Kotecha from the seat, however, he lost to former MP Sanjay Dina Patil who was elected from the Shiv Sena UBT’s ticket. Patil won with 450,937 votes and Kotecha got 421,076 votes. Of the total votes, from the Bhandup West assembly constituency, Patil got 79,119 votes and Kotecha got 75,659 votes.

About Bhandup West Seat

It is not a reserved seat and is allotted to General Category candidates. During the 2019 assembly elections, the total number of registered voters were 2,83,275 and the voter turnout was 56.24 per cent.