Internal strife has erupted within the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) ranks in Mumbai's R Central administrative division, a traditional party stronghold, following controversial candidate selections for the upcoming civic polls. The discontent stems from the party's decision to deny tickets to several seasoned women corporators in favor of new faces, leading to a significant defection and casting a shadow over the BJP's prospects in a key electoral ward.
A Veteran's Defection and the Battle for Ward 13
The most striking fallout has occurred in electoral ward number 13, Magathane. Asawari Patil, a 65-year-old two-time BJP corporator and party worker for over three decades, has switched allegiance to the Shiv Sena (UBT) after being denied a ticket. Patil, who won her elections in 2012 and 2017, expressed deep disappointment at being overlooked for a first-time candidate. "I have been working in this area since 1992," Patil stated, "but I got my first party ticket only in 2012. This time, I was shocked and disappointed when the party kept me waiting until the last minute and eventually gave the ticket to a new face."
The contest in Ward 13 is now poised to be a direct and closely watched clash. The BJP has fielded first-time candidate Rani Dwivedi-Nighot, while Patil will contest on a Sena (UBT) ticket. The outcome is seen as a test of the BJP's organizational strength versus Patil's long-standing personal connect and ground presence in the area.
Broader Pattern of Sidelining Experience
Patil's case is not isolated. The BJP's strategy in R Central, one of only two city wards with 80% of seats reserved for women, appears to prioritize youth and education over experience. Two-time corporator Bina Doshi and 2017 corporator Anjali Khedkar were also not granted tickets. Party insiders suggest a conscious shift towards younger, more educated candidates in the division.
Meanwhile, three-time corporator Pravin Shah from Ward 15 stepped aside after the seat was reserved for a woman, pledging support to the party's chosen candidate. In a contrasting move, Shivanand Shetty, a Congress corporator from 2012, is now contesting on a BJP ticket after a 13-year gap, confident of a large victory margin based on his 25 years of local work.
Environmental and Infrastructure Challenges Loom Large
Beyond the political drama, R Central and neighbouring wards grapple with pressing civic and environmental issues. Mangrove depletion, caused by encroachment and the Versova-Bhayander coastal road alignment, is a major concern. The Bombay High Court's clearance to cut nearly 45,000 mangroves along the route has raised fears of increased climate risks and coastal flooding.
Environmental activists recently protested the coastal road project, warning of irreversible damage to biodiversity. "There are over 150 species of birds in these regions," an activist highlighted, noting that residents are already dealing with lung issues due to poor air quality from relentless construction.
Defending the infrastructure push, BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay argued that parallel corridors like the coastal road are essential to decongest the Western Express Highway. He claimed to be exploring options to compensate for the mangrove loss and stated that improved connectivity would make suburbs like Borivli highly desirable. Upadhyay also acknowledged problems of unequal resource distribution, particularly in water supply and access to schools and hospitals near Gorai and Manori.
Traffic mismanagement, especially near Borivli station, remains a critical voter grievance, as highlighted by Congress leader Bhushan Patil. The ward's status as a major construction hub has also led to severe air pollution, with the municipal corporation issuing the highest number of pollution-related stop-work notices in the area until November 2025.
