Mumbaikar it’s time to reclaim our power as voter on 20th May 2024. Are we mere spectators, relegated to the role of passive observers in a political spectacle that seems more like entertainment than governance? The more of us who participate in voting, the greater the pressure on our elected representatives. In a robust democracy, the people are meant to be in charge, with our representatives serving us. However, the reality often seems inverted. So, never underestimate the potency of your vote.
In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Mumbai, a diverse array of political contenders is vying for seats—ranging from Union Ministers to seasoned criminal lawyers. Among them are 10 men and 2 women, spanning ages from 49 to 72 years old.
Below is the information on Lok sabha 2024 candidates from various constituencies in Mumbai:
Mumbai North - Piyush Goyal (BJP) Vs Bhushan Patil (INC)
Piyush Goyal, 59
Piyush Goyal is a CA from Mumbai. His mother served as a BJP MLA three times, and his father was a minister under Vajpayee. After working as an investment banker and holding positions on PSU bank boards, he became the party’s national treasurer before entering government. Since 2014, he has held various ministerial roles, including coal and power, railways, trade, and industry. While he’s been a member of the Rajya Sabha, this is his first time contesting a Lok Sabha seat.
Bhushan Patil, 55
Bhushan Patil is associated with the Indian National Congress (INC) and currently holds the position of Vice President of Mumbai Congress. He has been selected to contest against Piyush Goyal in the upcoming election. Patil previously ran in the 2009 assembly election from Borivali against the BJP’s Gopal Shetty but suffered a defeat by a margin of 27,000 votes. Despite serving as the treasurer for the Mumbai Congress unit, he faces a daunting task in this election, given the reluctance of many Congress leaders to challenge Piyush Goyal.
Mumbai North-West: Amol Kirtikar SS (UBT) Vs Ravindra Mainkar SS
Amol Kirtikar, 52
He is representing Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray faction. He is son of two time Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar and contesting the same seat his father represented 2014 onwards. He is a member of youth wing and under investigation for irregularities relating to a 6 crore contract. He bagged the deal to provide ‘Khichdi’ to migrant workers displaced by the pandemic when the Thackeray led MVA government was in charge. Kirtikar has fought the assembly elections in 2019 from Goregaon but was unsuccessful.
Ravidra Mainkar, 65
He was MLA from Jogeshwari east for three consecutive terms. Before that he was corpoator for four terms. He stayed with Uddhav Thackeray during the revolt but shifted loyalties to Eknath Shinde this year. Switch happened after his properties were raided by ED in connection with a money laundering case.
Mumbai North East: Mihir Kotecha (BJP) Vs Sanjay Dina Patil (SS UBT)
Mihir Kotecha, 49
A businessman and party worker for 3 decades. In 2014, he contested assembly polls and lost. In 2019, he won from Mulund. He is BJP’s state treasurer. After he was nominated as LS candidate, he wrote to deputy CM Deendra Fadnavis urging him to review BMC’s Permanent Transit Camp project in Mulund East.
Sanjay Dina Patil, 55
Son of ex MLA and firebrand trade unionist Dina Bama Patil, he came into electoral politics in 2004, winning the Bhandup assembly seat. Elected to Lok Sabha on an NCP ticket in 2009, just in 2014 amid the Modi wave to BJP’s Kirit Somaiya. In 2019, he lost again to Manoj Kotak (BJP). A familiar name for the Marathi community, he has crossed over to Sena (UBT) and is looking to Muslims, Dalits from Mankhurd, Mulund, Vikhroli to add to his tally of votes.
Mumbai North Central: Ujjwal Nikam (BJP) Vs Varsha Gaikwad (INC)
Ujjwal Nikam, 69
He was state’s special public prosecutor in the 26/11 trial of Ajmal Kasab has been roped into provide a Marathi manoos face to the BJP’s campaign in the city. Having led the state’s legal team in well-cases such as the Shakti Mill gangrape and the twin bomb blasts at the Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar,
Varsha Gaikwad 49
A four term MLA from Dharavi and a former minister, she is the Congress’s most experienced legislator in the city. Daughter of an ex MP, Gaikwad will be backed by Shiv Sena (UBT), which is keen to stall BLP”s growth in the part of the city. As a resident of Bandra, Uddhav Thackeray has a greater interest in this battle.
Mumbai South Central: Rahul Shewale (SS) Vs Anil Desai (SS UBT)
Rahul Shewale, 51
Two time MP and one time supporter of Uddhav Thackeray, Shewale switched loyalties to Eknath Shinde during the Shiv Sena revolt of June 2022. He was renominated for the seat and is considered a strong contender. Shewale earned his stripes in politics as BMC corporator. He was elected first at the age 29, later became standing committee chairman, responsible for signing off on large public works.
Anil Desai, 66
A Rajya Sabha MP from Shiv Sena for two terms, Desai is a close aide of Uddhav Thackeray. Desai handles legal matters and organisational activities known as the party’s sober, English speaking face, he was in the reckoning for the South Mumbai seat but was picked for South Central instead. Desai played a key role in the cases involving disqualification of Sena MLAs and the symbol and name issue before the ECI.
Mumbai South: Arvind Sawant (SS UBT) Vs Yamini Jadhav (SS)
Arvind Sawant, 72
Two term MP from South Mumbai. Also one of the 13 MPs who did not join Eknath Shinde. He had defeated Congress’s Milind Deora in 2014 and 2019. Was Union minister for heavy industries briefly in 2019 before Shiv Sena broke out of the NDA and aligned with Congress and NCP. An old timer from Bal Thackeray’s era, he’s active in Sena (UBT) worker unions and is seen as someone who took on the Modi government in Parliament too.
Yamini Jadhav, 56
A MLA from Byculla and a former corporator. Her husband Yashwant Jadhav is also an ex BMC corporator. Yamini has been picked as Marathi face to take on Arvind Sawant. The Jadhavs left Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena and joined the Shinde group in 2022. Yamini and her husband were investigated by the IT department, registrar of companies and ED.
Below are the details of Loksabha constituencies and the areas covered under them:
Mumbai North: | Mumbai North-West | Mumbai North-East: |
Malad | Goregaon | Chandivali |
Mumbai North-Central | Mumbai South-Central | Mumbai South |
Vile Parle | Dadar | Colaba |
