BJP MLA Parag Alavani Faces Litmus Test In Vile Parle
As the election for the 288-member assembly in Maharashtra nears, several constituencies are bracing for an unpredictable and fierce battle, especially since the split in major political parties in the state. One such constituency is Vile Parle, a former Congress citadel currently held by the BJP.
BJP leader Advocate Parag Alavani is the incumbent MLA from Vile Parle constituency, and he has been representing the seat since he came out triumphant in 2014, marking the first BJP candidate to emerge victorious from the seat. The party has renominated Alavani for another term.
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Vile Parle was initially dominated by Congress, but in 1978, the Janata Party candidate won the seat. After that, the undivided Shiv Sena represented the seat for three consecutive terms between 1990 and 2004. In 2004, Congress wrest back the constituency and retained it till 2014. After winning the seat in 2014, the BJP’s Parag Alavani secured back-to-back victories for the two following consecutive terms. During the 2019 assembly elections, the MLA secured a majority of around 58,427 votes.
The Siv Sena UBT has fielded Sandeep Naik as a Mahayuti candidate against the sitting MLA, as per the seat sharing agreement in the alliance. According to the Praja Foundation, which assesses the performance of elected representatives, the BJP MLA has ranked 10th with no criminal record. However, the MLA has lagged in raising quality questions and maintaining good attendance in the assembly.
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Though it is said that the BJP MLA is likely to retain the seat, given the substantial vote share he accumulated during the 2019 assembly elections. Despite speculations that Alavani will be replaced, the BJP has renominated him, placing its confidence in another term.
Making the fight triangular, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has also fielded candidates from Vile Parle. A party with strong presence in the constituency, Juilee Shende, will be vying against the two dominant alliances.
The opposition candidates are banking on the paralysis in several projects, including the stalled air funnel zone around Mumbai airport due to building height restrictions and slum redevelopments. The MVA candidate Naik has stated that despite promises during the election seasons, the BJP legislator has failed the citizens.
Alavani has however maintained that the police decision takes time, adding that his suggestions on relaxation in premium for a redevelopment project to become viable were included by the civic body in DCPR 2034 for other areas. Given the power in the center, state, and constituency, many point out the laxity on the BJP legislator’s part.
