BMC elections: Wherever Hardik Patel campaigned, Shiv Sena lost

Mumbai: Uddhav and Aditya Thackeray misjudged that notorious trouble maker and caste fanatic Hardik Patel who pushed Guniyal and Garvi Gujarat to caste and community divisions, indiscipline and violence recently would earn Shiv Sena Gujarati votes! How wrong Thackerays were?!

Gujarat Samachar Mumbai edition report titled as ‘Wherever Shiv Sena rallied Hardik Patel, it suffered defeat’ reads: Shiv Sena’s attempts to attract Gujarati voters have eben failed. Patidar leader Hardik Patel was specially called to Mumbai, but Goregam area where Hardik Patel was rallied(in favor of Shiv Sena candidate) saw defeat of Shiv Sena’s Gujarati candidate Biren Limbachia. Shiv Sena had given ticket in Gujarati populated area of Ghatkopar to Mangal Bhanushali who had change his loyalty. Bhanushali suffered defeat. Prior to elections, many Gujarati leaders and workers were welcomed to Shiv Sena fold but none of them could attract Gujarati votes.

The Times of India in its report quoting Mumbai based Gujarati Sanjay Kothari who is former chairman of Gems and Jewellery Export Promoion Council(GJEPC) says Shiv Sena joining hands with Hardik Patel was one of two other factors responsible for Gujaratis sailing on BJP’s boat. The para quoting former Chairman reads: “In the municipal election polls, Gujaratis have sailed on BJP’s boat. There were other factors responsible – one was the campaigning by Jain Munis after the meat episode outside the derasar, and PAAS leader Hardik Patel joining hands with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thakceray”

The Times of India in its report says: The results of the BMC elections have delighted the Gujarati community that has been in Mumbai for generations. For the first time, nearly one-third of the 226 seats in the biggest civic body of India have gone to Gujarati candidates. A large chunk of BJP seats have come from the bet between Dahisar and Goregaon as well as Mulund-Ghatkopar and the south Mumbai stretch from Tardeo-Nana Chowk to Walkeshwar-Malabar Hill, all areas with large Gujaratis enclaves. Of BJP’s 82 winning candidates, 26 are corporators of Gujarati origin.

DeshGujarat