Mumbai: Despite all odds and threats from the fast changing culture of the city, the Shiv Sena managed to retain its Marathi pockets and Marathi belt — Lalbaug, Worli, Sewaree and Dadar. A Sena rebel’s wife Tejaswini Ambole lost against an old timer Sena loyalist Sindhutai Sakpal in Parel. Though party had opposed her candidature initially, Shraddha Jadhav got elected for the 6th time from Sewree. The party got six out of seven seats in Worli. It has also got its stronghold back Dadar from MNS.
A huge celebration started at Shiv Sena’s Parel shakha this afternoon with news of Sindhutai Masurkar’s success. She defeated Sena rebel Nana Ambole’s wife Tejaswini who contested from the BJP.
She attributed her success to the party and warned the rebel that Sena matters to the voters and not the individual personality.
“I have been working for the party for past 42 years. Balasaheb used to say that this Parel area is the heart of the Sena and I have retained it. The success has taught us that party is the supreme and not individual persons,” she said.
Masurkar promised her voters to raise issues of improving facilities at KEM and Tata hospitals to accommodate more local people.
In Sewree, Jadhav managed to get elected for the sixth time. When the Sena’s senior leaders like Yadhodhan Phanse, Trushna Vishwasrao lost, Jadhav pulled off her victory against Congress candidate with a margin of about 7,400 votes. “I have emotional relation with the people here. There is no option to Sena which is for Marathi manoos,” she said.
Jadhav plans to raise issues like slums, tankers, Bhoiwada redevelopment, Sewaree chawls in the BMC house.
Even in the Dadar-Mahim area, the Sena got five seats. In 2012, the MNS had grabbed all the seats in Dadar-Mahim bringing embarrassment to the Sena. However, this time, the Sena managed to get the maximum seats in its core belt. In Worli area, Shiv Sena got six out of the seven seats.
The area is known for its stronghold for years. Even former mayor Snehal Ambekar got elected from the area.
