Thane, Nov 1 (PTI) The Kopri-Pachpakhadi assembly constituency in Thane city is a stronghold of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, but the election this time has taken an interesting turn with the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) fielding the nephew of his former mentor.
Shinde is looking to win the fifth consecutive assembly term from the area.
He first became MLA of Thane city in 2004, and after Kopri-Pachpakhadi was carved out, he won from the new constituency in 2009, 2014 and 2019.
Kedar Dighe, Thane district chief of the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, has never been an MLA, but his surname could resonate with voters as his uncle, late Anand Dighe, was the Shiv Sena’s unchallenged strongman in Thane area and Shinde’s political mentor. Shinde has always stressed that he carries forward Anand Dighe’s legacy.
Thane city, along with neighbouring Mumbai, was where the Shiv Sena founded by Bal Thackeray first made inroads as a serious political player.
Kopri-Pachpakhadi would be a key seat for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena too as it has constantly targeted Shinde and dubbed him a “traitor” ever since he rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray and split the Shiv Sena in June 2022.
In the Lok Sabha elections, Naresh Mhaske of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena defeated Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Rajan Vichare, the sitting MP, in the Thane parliamentary constituency. Mhaske had a lead of 44,875 votes in Kopri-Pachpakhadi segment, underlining Shinde’s dominance.
The assembly constituency has 3.38 lakh registered voters including 1.58 lakh women.
Redevelopment of old buildings , traffic congestion and inadequate public transport facilities are some of the issues the constituency is facing.
Shinde’s winning margin in the constituency rose in successive elections. But he is facing the electorate himself for the first time after rebelling against Bal Thackeray’s son.
Congress and NCP (SP), the Shiv Sena (UBT) allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, have no base left here. The Congress candidate had won 24,197 votes in the constituency in 2019.
The Shiv Sena expects to retain the seat by a bigger margin, given Shinde’s enhanced stature as chief minister and his focus on development of the city.
Dighe, on the other hand, would be banking on his clean image, his link to Anand Dighe, and `loyalty’ to the Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray. PTI MR KRK
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