Infra works, traffic woes major challenges as Thane braces for a tough triangular test

From stalled infrastructure works to burgeoning postulation woes, driven by colonisation and existent property boom, citizens person been near grappling with a spate of municipality challenges successful the Thane constituency. It is nary astonishment that the committedness of improving congestion and infrastructure plans similar the precocious announced interior ringing roadworthy Metro task person weighed dense connected campaigns crossed the saffron bastion that is bracing for a pugnacious triangular contest. 

The conflict successful Thane has boiled down to a three-way combat betwixt Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) campaigner — erstwhile two-time MP Rajan Vichare of Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS campaigner Avinash Jadhav and sitting BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar.

For Kelkar, who ended the Shiv Sena’s hegemonic power of Thane constituency successful 2014, the situation is not lone to triumph a historical third-term but besides unafraid the Mahayuti’s occurrence successful the city, which is CM Eknath Shinde’s bastion. 

For Vichare, who tasted decision successful the Lok Sabha elections, the upcoming canvass is simply a conflict of prestige to regain inroads to what was considered Sena’s archetypal fortress. 

Also challenging the incumbent’s bid to clasp powerfulness is MNS’ Thane territory president, Avinash Jadhav, whose triumph could solidify his party’s stakes successful the authorities governmental landscape. In the 2019 assembly elections, Jadhav, who contempt being a comparative greenhorn then, got implicit 70,000 votes, losing to sitting MLA Kelkar by 20,000 votes. 

Home to implicit 3.78 lakh voters, portion traditionally Thane’s older areas person been predominantly Maharashtrian, the caller years person witnessed important demographic shifts. Data besides shows that of the full votes, Muslims relationship for 8 per cent — with astir residents successful pockets similar Rabodi. 

With 3 Maharashtrian candidates vying for victory, governmental observers said that Maharashtrian arsenic good arsenic Hindu votes are apt to beryllium divided successful what volition pave the mode for a adjacent fight. 

“Thane is apt to witnesser a precise pugnacious combat arsenic each campaigner has their ain clout successful the country but it can’t beryllium ignored that it is Shinde’s bastion. Now, Shiv Sena loyalists volition besides person to marque a important prime betwixt Mahayuti and Sena UBT and the Marathi votes volition besides beryllium divided betwixt the 3 parties,” governmental expert Surendra Jondhale told The Indian Express. 

Meanwhile, the meteoric colonisation roar has spelled concerns for the municipality constituency’s existing resources. Residents of Thane echoed that postulation congestion and deficiency of capable infrastructure, including footpaths and roads person emerged arsenic the biggest concerns successful the portion implicit the past years. 

In the aftermath of the expanding dependency connected tankers successful the precocious rises, h2o scarcity and the request for caller dams person besides travel to the fore. 

Banking connected precocious announced projects specified arsenic Rs 12,000-crore interior ringing roadworthy Metro project, BJP’s Kelkar told The Indian Express that helium is keen connected enhancing nationalist transport to easiness the existing postulation congestion successful the city. 

Kelkar said, “Our purpose is to enactment connected the all-round improvement of Thane that includes betterment of health, education, etc. We are besides emphasising connected nationalist transport to easiness congestion specified arsenic the precocious announced ring-road Metro successful Thane. We besides person the support for a 2nd railway station, which volition relieve the load connected the existing station.” 

“For h2o woes, we person plans to make tiny dams, which had been stuck implicit decades owing to immoderate section agitations,” helium said, adding that the double-engine sarkar volition guarantee accelerated gait of works. 

Meanwhile, Vichare has been highlighting the deficiency of enactment executed by the incumbent candidate. “Many accidental it is simply a triple fight, but the improvement done by the section MLA successful the past 15 years is obscurity to beryllium seen. I person been representing Thane for 35 to 40 years. First arsenic mayor, past arsenic MLA, past doubly arsenic MP. Thane metropolis is increasing rapidly and therefore, my docket is to undertake caller projects for the increasing population,” said Vichare. 

Development astatine Thane railway station, Metro, Thane-Borivali tunnel, betterment of traffic-riddled junctions arsenic good arsenic absorption connected h2o dams, greenish spaces — are among the projects enlisted successful Vichare’s manifesto. 

MNS’s Jadhav, who is extensively campaigning successful the area, has besides drawn airy connected the delayed civic works, contempt the authorities being successful powerfulness successful the authorities and the Centre. “For me, determination is simply a large quality betwixt 2019 and 2024 arsenic during 2019, I lone had 21 days to hole for elections. Yet I managed to get implicit 70,000 votes. While immoderate parties helped me, I besides got these votes arsenic I happened to enactment for people. No substance what they accidental astir the pugnacious combat successful Thane, I volition get astatine slightest 97,000 votes this time,” Jadhav said astatine a nationalist gathering. 

Know your seat

Constituency name: Thane
Candidates:
Sanjay Kelkar (BJP — Mahayuti)
Rajan Vichare (Sena UBT – MVA)
Avinash Jadhav (MNS)

Population (No. of voters): 3,78,342
Men: 1,94,958
Women: 1,83,242
Muslim voters (in 2019) 8%, SC voters 4.91%, and ST voters 2.12%
Voter turnout figures successful 2019 Assembly elections: 52.92%
Winner successful 2019 and margin: BJP’s Sanjay Kelkar defeated MNS’ Avinash Jadhav by 15,526 votes.
Party that led the Assembly constituency successful 2024 Lok Sabha elections: Shiv Sena (Mahayuti) by 48,062 votes.