Mumbai: Anti-incumbency sentiments surrounding Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi were expected to make his re-election bid a tough challenge in Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar constituency. The entry of Nawab Malik, a prominent Ajit Pawar led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA of neighbouring Anushakti Nagar constituency further intensified the contest, with predictions of a fiercely competitive race.
However, to everyone's surprise, the candidate from All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) emerged as a serious contender, while Nawab Malik ended up in fourth place. Azmi, backed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, managed to secure a victory with a lead of 12,753 votes, retaining his seat.
Azmi has represented the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar constituency in the Maharashtra state assembly for three consecutive terms. However, with the entry of Malik into the race, Azmi was expected to face a tough challenge. It was predicted that the 60% Muslim electorate in the constituency could play a crucial role in the outcome.
Apart from the political contest, the constituency is grappling with serious issues, including a surge in crime and drug addiction, which has been a growing concern among residents.
Additionally, the unresolved issue of the Deonar municipal dumping ground—Mumbai's largest—remains a contentious matter for the locals. Amidst these challenges, the potential splitting of the Muslim vote between two influential leaders—Azmi and Malik—was seen as a significant factor that could jeopardize Azmi’s bid for a fourth term.
Despite this, the real battle was between Azmi and AIMIM candidate Ateeque Khan, who emerged as the primary rival in what was expected to be a closely contested election.
However, Azmi took the lead from the very first round and maintained it throughout the counting process. He won with a lead of 12,753 votes against AIMIM candidate Ateeque Khan, who secured second place with 42,027 votes. Surprisingly, Mahayuti's candidate Suresh (Bullet) Patil came in third with 35,263 votes, while Nawab Malik was relegated to fourth place with just 15,501 votes.
Another Muslim candidate, Mohammed Siraj Sheikh from Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi, received 10,479 votes, further splitting the electorate. Despite the competition, Azmi's consistent lead secured him a fourth term in the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar constituency.
