Sitting MLA Vs Ex-MLA: Close Contest In Chandivali Constituency

Chandivali Assembly constituency, a Shiv Sena-Congress playground, is all set for another historic battle for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections scheduled on November 20. Since the split in Shiv Sena into Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions, the voter dynamics in the constituency are expected to manifest when the result is declared on November 23.

Interestingly, while the Shive Sena Shinde faction fielded sitting MLA Dilip Lande, the Congress has nominated former legislator Naseem Khan, who represented from 2009 to 2019 before losing it to the undivided Shiv Sena leader. Lande had unsuccessfully contested as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate in 2009.

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During the 2019 assembly elections, Lande defeated then sitting MLA Naseem Khan by a margin of mere 409 votes. Talking about his 2019 defeat, the former MLA attributed the failure to his state-wide tours as deputy opposition leader, making him unable to focus on Chandivali. He has, however, pledged to resolve local issues as one of his top priorities if elected. Issues such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and infrastructure needs remain one of the major concerns of the assembly segment.

The sitting MLA has also pledged new projects and highlighted that new housing projects are underway in Kohinoor City in addition to efforts to address parking and traffic issues, among others.

A best MLA awardee in 2017, Naseem Khan is one of the prominent Congress figures in Maharashtra. He has been the vice president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee and held portfolios, including as minister in the state government.

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Notably, as the election nears, an allegation has surfaced against MLA Dilip Lande, linking him to the Riddhi Siddhi Sanstha, which distributed tiffins and sarees at a banquet hall in Powai on November 8. Shiv Sena leader Meena Shekhar Kambli was reportedly seen in the event photographs. Following information, the Election Commission conducted a raid but not registered any complaint, as per a report by the Free Press Journal. 

Notably, other than the two major forces, MNS remains the only consistent competitor in the constituency. MNS candidate Mahendra Bhanushali has criticized both Sena and Congress leaders, alleging that both of them were paying lip service with no action.