MUMBAI, 3rd OCTOBER, 2024 (GPN/ SACHIN MURDESHWAR 📞8108510506): In a significant development in the Airoli Legislative Assembly, the Shiv Sena (UBT group) has officially staked its claim for the seat, currently held by BJP MLA Ganesh Naik.

This move comes in the wake of the Naik family’s transition to the BJP, which has seen Sandeep Naik serving as the MLA for two terms previously. There are speculations that this seat may soon be vacated by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar.

In a letter addressed to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, all office bearers of the Airoli constituency have expressed their desire for the party to contest the upcoming elections. They cited the commendable performance of the Airoli constituency in the recent Lok Sabha elections as a strong basis for their claim. The office bearers pointed out that despite having the highest number of corporators in previous elections, the constituency was handed over to the BJP, which enabled Ganesh Naik to secure a significant victory.

During discussions with party leaders, the Shiv Sena office bearers noted the ranks of experienced leaders within the party, indicating that if Airoli were to be allocated to Shiv Sena, victory for the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition would be highly probable. The meeting included key figures such as District Chief Dwarka Nath Bhoir, City Chief Pravin Mhatre, and several other prominent party members, all expressing confidence in the party’s potential success in the upcoming elections.

The Navi Mumbai seats — Airoli, Belapur, Panvel and Uran — are spread in parts of Mumbai’s adjoining districts of Thane and Raigad and are some of the fastest-developing areas of Maharashtra. The Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link, popularly called MTHLor Atal Setu has connected the island city of Mumbai to Nhava Sheva across the harbour.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport is expected to be operational in December 2025 probably before Christmas. The Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) is expected to boost development in the Raigad district; there will be the larger MMR, the Third Mumbai — a mega city after Mumbai — the satellite township of Navi Mumbai, and there is also the proposed Konkan Coastal Road.

However, Navi Mumbai this area of coastal Konkan region — has been politically volatile.While veteran BJP’s Ganesh Naik, who is a five-time MLA, is seeking a sixth term from Airoli, he faces arch-rival Vijay Chougule, who is from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and turned rebel and M K Madhavi from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).Naik’s son Sandeep Naik, a two-time MLA from Airoli, had rebelled following denial of ticket by BJP and joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). He has been fielded from Belapur. He faces family political rival Manda Mhatre, the sitting BJP MLA and bureaucrat turned politician Vijay Nahata, a rebel of Shiv Sena.