Get ready for corporator vs corporator battle

Mumbai: With elections around the corner, suddenly seven Brihanmumbai municipal corporation (BMC) wards have become cynosure of all eyes, since these wards will witness a battle of corporator versus corporator. Due to the involvement of some prominent candidates, these battles are likely to prove very interesting. According to the sources, factors like delimitation and reservations have forced these corporators to lock horns with each other in the BMC elections. In a bid to sustain their political existence, some have to change their wards, while some are fortunate enough to return to their original wards.

The most prestigious battle will be seen at Andheri Lokhandwala Complex (ward no 60), where Congress’ Jyotsna Dighe has thrown a stiff challenge to senior Shiv Sena corporator and BMC standing committee chairman Shailesh Phanse. Ms Dighe is a Narayan Rane supporter, who had switched her loyalties to the Congress along with the former chief minister a decade ago.

In the 2012 BMC polls, Ms Dighe had proved her mettle by defeating Shiv Sena’s firebrand corporator Rajul Patel. This time too, she will be taking another heavyweight in the form of Mr Phanse, who has been heading civic standing committee for last four years.

Incidentally, the Andheri Lokhandwala ward has been represented by both Mr Phanse and Ms Dighe before. Ms Phanse was elected as a Sena corporator from 2002 to 2012, after which he had to shift to neighbouring D.N. Nagar area, as the ward became reserved for women.

Ms Dighe, while contesting on a Congress ticket, then broke the hegemony of the Sena by defeating Ms Patel.

Despite the ward getting open now, Congress has decided to field Ms Dighe by putting her up against Mr Phanse. “It shows the faith my party has in me. I have done lot of development works here in the last five years. It will surely be reflected in my win,” she said.

However, Mr Phanse expressed confidence over his victory. “Last time, I had to shift to nearby ward as my constituency was reserved for women. Now, I am back in my own ward, from where I was twice elected as a corporator. So the victory is a foregone conclusion,” he said. Among other major battles, Sena’s Anuradha Pednekar is contesting against NCP’s Saeeda Khan from Kurla (ward no 168), whereas another Sena corporator Ramesh Korgaonkar will fight against MNS’ Anisha Majgaonkar Bhandup (ward no 114).