The state of Maharashtra is gearing up for the assembly polls scheduled for November 20, with political campaigns in full swing as candidates intensify their efforts to win over voters. Amid this charged political environment, Organiser visited Worli, one of the high-profile constituencies in the upcoming elections. The seat is currently represented by Aditya Thackeray, son of Uddhav Thackeray and grandson of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray. This year, Aditya faces tough competition from Milind Deora, a seasoned politician who joined the Shiv Sena earlier in 2024. Another notable contender is Sandeep Deshpande from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) making it a triangular fight.
Aditya Thackeray is missing
On November 18, the Organiser team arrived in Worli to engage with locals and understand their views on the candidates, issues, and their likely voting preferences. The dominant sentiment among the people was one of frustration with the sitting MLA, Aditya Thackeray. Several residents expressed their disappointment, alleging that Aditya has been “missing” from the constituency ever since he was elected. “Not once has he come here to address our concerns,” echoed the locals.
One resident, frustrated with the situation, drew a sharp contrast with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. He remarked, “Look at Nitin Gadkari. Whenever he visits his constituency, he makes it a point to meet the people, listen to their grievances, and actively work towards resolving their issues. In contrast, Aaditya Thackeray has never made an effort to connect with us. He stays confined to his home and hasn’t met a single person from this constituency, let alone solved any of our problems.”
No emotional voting this time
People in the area appeared to favour Milind Deora, citing his proactive approach and clean image. “Deora Ji comes among the people, listens to our issues, and makes genuine efforts to resolve them,” said one resident, contrasting him with Aditya, who they described as a “so-called Yuvraj” who rarely interacts with his constituents.
Vinod Halwe, a local, expressed his disillusionment with Aditya Thackeray’s leadership, stating, “Last time, we voted for him thinking he was the Yuvraj of the Thackeray family and would uphold Balasaheb’s legacy. But all those hopes turned out to be misplaced. This time, Deora Ji is the obvious choice, regardless of his background or political affiliations.”
Vinod, a local resident of Worli, openly questioned Aditya Thackeray’s contributions to the constituency over the past five years. Highlighting neglected areas like Prem Nagar, Siddharth Nagar, and Maya Nagar, Vinod pointed out that these slums remain mired in substandard living conditions.
“These slums are located in distant and often overlooked parts of the city, with minimal facilities. Thackeray has done nothing to address these pressing issues,” he said. He further credited visible development in Worli to former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, adding, “Before this, when Congress was in power for 15 years, they too did nothing for the area.”
Why people will vote for Deora?
Standing beside Vinod, Subodh expressed his views, noting that Milind Deora, the son of veteran Congress leader Murli Deora, has joined the BJP under the influence of Prime Minister Modi’s governance model. “Unlike the Thackeray family, who merely exploit their voters, Milind has shown genuine dedication to the region. This is why he is set to win,” Subodh asserted.
The discontent among Shiv Sena’s traditional voter base seems further exacerbated by the party’s alliance with Congress under Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership. This coalition, formed to secure the Chief Minister’s post, has led to a significant dent in Shiv Sena’s image as the face of “Hindutva” in Maharashtra. This shift has not only caused internal divisions within the party but also alienated many core Hindu voters. When Organiser spoke to locals about this shift, they strongly echoed similar sentiments.
Hindus and their anger with UBT
Vinod recalled Balasaheb Thackeray’s firm opposition to Congress, quoting him: “If the day comes when I require Congress’s support to run my party, I will shut down Shiv Sena forever.” He lamented how Shiv Sena, once synonymous with “Hindutva and Bhagwa,” has transformed under Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership. “Now, Uddhav seems misguided. He has become the face of ‘Hirvi’ (green), prioritising issues of Muslims. He doesn’t realise that his core Hindu voter base has slipped away and will never return,” Vinod added. He noted that this shift has driven voters toward the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction.
Speaking on what he described as the “Islamisation” of Uddhav’s Shiv Sena, another resident voiced his concerns. “Uddhav’s obsession with the green colour is solely for Muslim votes. But he should know that a day will come when someone from the Muslim community will contest these Muslim-dominated seats, and they will vote for their own community member, not Thackeray.”
Hindu Hriday Samrat – Vote bank over Legacy
He elaborated on the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray, describing him as the voice of the oppressed Hindus in Maharashtra and a leader whose name still commands respect and pride. However, he expressed disappointment in Balasaheb’s son, Uddhav Thackeray, stating, “Uddhav, under the influence of the ‘green’ colour, has abandoned Hindutva politics. This shift will cost him dearly in the long run.” Reflecting on the broader national picture, he added, “Across the country, there were only two parties truly standing up for Hindus—BJP and Shiv Sena. Now, BJP is left to fight this battle alone.”
To illustrate the extent of what he perceived as Muslim appeasement by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, he cited a recent incident involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. “At an event, Rahul Gandhi was offered a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, but he refused to accept it. How can such blatant disregard for Hindu pride be tolerated? And the irony is that Uddhav has aligned himself with such individuals.”
He continued, “If these people are uniting under the banner of their religion, why can’t Hindus? How is the slogan ‘Batenge to Katenge’ considered controversial, while Uddhav’s alliance partners’ actions go unchecked?”
Another local chimed in on the controversy around the slogan, stating, “If we cannot speak for Hindus in Bharat, where else are we supposed to go?”
‘Ek rahenge, nek rahenge’
Vinod delved deeper into the significance of the ‘Batenge to Katenge’ slogan, emphasising its impact on Hindu voters. “This slogan has resonated strongly among Hindus, awakening a sense of unity and strength. It will undoubtedly influence the election results.” He drew a parallel with Prime Minister Modi’s slogan, ‘Ek rahenge, nek rahenge’, which he said similarly emphasises unity and goodness.
Turning his attention to Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, Vinod criticised him for promoting nepotism and prioritising family interests, much like the Congress party. “Uddhav has turned his faction into a mirror image of Congress. Everything he does revolves around his family—securing power for himself and his son. Under the grip of putramoh (obsession with his son), Uddhav has abandoned Hindutva entirely.”
Who is better Aditya or Amit Thackery?
The discussion then shifted to Aditya Thackeray and Raj Thackeray’s son, Amit Thackeray, as politicians. Sunil, a middle-aged local, shared his perspective. “Aditya Thackeray has been a minister for the past five years, yet he has accomplished nothing. As a politician, he scores a big zero. Amit Thackeray, on the other hand, has grown up in a political family. His father, Raj Thackeray, speaks on a wide range of issues, which will likely benefit Amit. But as of now, we haven’t seen any of his work. We’ll evaluate his performance when he starts delivering results.”
He openly remarked, “Compared to Aditya, Amit is a far better candidate.” He criticised Aditya Thackeray for opposing critical developmental projects like the RA and metro initiatives, only to hypocritically use the same metro facilities himself.
Speaking about the political dynamics, he pointed out that Aditya’s success in the 2019 elections was largely due to the BJP and Shiv Sena contesting together. “The alliance helped him secure a significant number of seats. Now, people are questioning why he abandoned Hindus and the BJP. Instead of addressing these concerns, the UBT faction claims that the BJP ditched them, which is simply untrue,” he asserted.
Batenge to Katenge
Highlighting growing concerns over radicalisation and demographic changes, another man brought up recent incidents of unrest during Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai. “This is a serious issue,” he noted, recalling Prime Minister Modi’s vision of an empowered Muslim community that embraces education and progress, carrying a computer in one hand and the Quran in the other. “But these people show no interest in development. They prefer to remain involved in unlawful and disruptive activities,” he added, further remarking, “They follow their book and refuse to accept any other form of education.”
Discussing the politicisation of religious institutions, he said, “If clerics and mosques are urging Muslims to vote en masse for candidates they endorse, and fatwas are being issued instructing them to vote against the BJP without considering the merit of the candidate, then how is ‘Batenge to Katenge’ wrong?” He lamented, “This phenomenon of ‘vote jihad,’ where Muslims are directed to vote as a bloc against BJP candidates, is seen as acceptable. But when Hindus unite under a slogan like ‘Batenge to Katenge,’ it is labelled blasphemous.”
The man called on Hindus to reflect on the historical partition of Bharat, which was based on religion. “India cannot afford another partition. If such divisions occur again, Hindus will have no place to go. Unlike Muslims, who have Pakistan and Bangladesh, Bharat is the only homeland for Hindus. If pushed further, we will have no choice but to divide and fight for survival. And then they’ll tell us Hindus to go to ‘72 hoors.’”
Is Batenge to Katenge only for Hindus?
Another individual offered a broader perspective on the slogan ‘Batenge to Katenge.’ “It’s not just for Hindus; it’s a general call for all Bharatiyas to unite against divisive and external forces. If someone interprets it as exclusive to Hindus, that’s their misconception,” he explained.
The sentiments on the ground reflect a blend of frustration over perceived political betrayals, concerns about demographic shifts, and a call for unity among all Indians to safeguard the country’s integrity and cultural identity.
Worli seat and electoral details
In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Aaditya Thackeray, representing the Shiv Sena, secured a decisive victory in the Worli constituency by defeating Suresh Mane of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with a commanding margin of over 67,000 votes. This marked Aaditya’s debut in electoral politics, solidifying his position as a prominent figure in the Shiv Sena’s leadership.
According to data from the Election Commission, the Worli constituency had 2,69,003 registered voters during the 2019 elections. Despite its urban character, voter turnout was relatively low, recorded at just 47.58 per cent.
Historically, the Shiv Sena has enjoyed consistent success in Worli. In 2014, Shiv Sena’s Sunil Shinde defeated NCP’s Sachin Ahir by a margin of over 23,000 votes, demonstrating the party’s stronghold in the region. However, the constituency’s political history is diverse. The Congress dominated the early years, winning the first three consecutive elections in 1962, 1967, and 1972. The Communist Party of India (CPI) disrupted this streak by securing a victory in 1978. The Shiv Sena emerged as the dominant force starting in 1990, winning four consecutive elections up to 2004, cementing its influence in the constituency.
In the upcoming 2024 elections, scheduled for November 20, Aaditya Thackeray and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) are contesting as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a coalition comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). The MVA faces stiff competition from the ruling Mahayuti alliance, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.
The elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly are poised to be a tightly contested battle. The votes will be counted on November 23, setting the stage for the next phase of the state’s political landscape.
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