Mumbai: In the Byculla assembly constituency in central Mumbai, where the two Shiv Senas will face off on November 20, there are rumours about a boycott of the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate by Muslims and Congress workers unhappy that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) did not allot the seat with a significant Muslim population to the Congress.
Many Congress leaders were in the fray for the seat, including former Members of Legislative Assembly Yusuf Abrahani and Madhukar Chavan, the latter representing the seat in 2009-2014 and 1999-2004.
Local cable television and social media have reported about a secret meeting by angry Muslim and Congress voters to boycott the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate, Manoj Jamsutkar who is contesting against Yamini Jadhav, the sitting MLA who is now with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Though the local media named Chavan as one of Congress leaders who had attended the 'secret meeting' at an undisclosed location a few days ago, Chavan denied that he was part of the secret meeting. "There are a group of four-five people who have called for a boycott of the UBT candidate. During the parliamentary elections, people voted for the Shiv Sena (UBT). This time, it went to UBT. In 1999, we stood together and defeated the other side. We have to change the government, and for this we have to stand together," said Chavan.
Chavan said he was in the reckoning for the seat, as were 10 to 12 other people. "I was the only Maratha candidate," added Chavan. "We are helping Manoj Jamsutkar. What the voters have in their mind will be revealed on November 20."
About 41-42% of Byculla's voters are Muslim. Another 13% are from other minority groups like Dalits, Christians, and Jains. The constituency has not re-elected an MLA since 2004 when the constituency was called Chinchpokli.
Abrahani, who had called for a meeting to protest against the MVA decision to allot the seat to Shiv Sena (UBT), said, "After I gave a boycott call, I got calls from the Congress Party high command and the UBT. It was agreed that Congress did well in the parliamentary elections because of support of UBT voters. According to our seat-distribution formula, the seat went to UBT because the sitting MLA was from the party," said Abrahani.
However, Abrahani said that he was of the view that the seat should have been allotted to a Muslim candidate. "My argument is that this is a seat with 42% Muslim votes. If a Muslim cannot contest from this seat, where do they go? I cannot contest from Parel," said Abrahani.
Abrahani added that he called a meeting of Congress workers to assuage their hurt. "I called everybody. There were 200 people at the meeting. We asked them to work for the MVA since the seat has already been allotted. But our point is that this is a Muslim seat," said Abrahani.
