Congress to contest only 11 out of 36 seats in Mumbai; Political analysts predict tough battle
Mumbai: Out of the 36 assembly constituencies in Mumbai, Congress will contest in just 11 seats in the upcoming elections. In the 2019 assembly elections, the party fielded candidates in 30 constituencies, but this time, it has reduced its presence significantly following its alliance with Shiv Sena (UBT). Despite several rounds of discussions led by Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad and MLA Aslam Shaikh, Congress secured only a few seats under the MVA formula.
The seats allocated to Congress are seen as BJP strongholds, making victory challenging, according to political analysts. Among the 11 constituencies Congress is contesting, four are held by sitting MLAs. Notably, Congress swapped the Bandra East seat with Chandivli, which is held by Shiv Sena (UBT). Additionally, seats like Byculla and Versova, which Congress had shown interest in, were ceded as part of the alliance arrangement.
"This is the fewest seats Congress has contested in decades, indicating its struggles within the seat-sharing dynamics with Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP)," said political analysts. Moreover, in Northeast Mumbai, Congress is fielding candidates in only one constituency.
In Mulund, NCP (SP)'s Sangeeta Wagh and Congress’s Rakesh Shetty have filed nominations, raising the possibility of Congress conceding all of Northeast Mumbai if Shetty withdraws. "We aimed to contest in 14-15 seats but were left with just 11, as Shiv Sena (UBT) had already announced candidates in several constituencies. We will, however, uphold the alliance’s spirit to maximise MVA's win," said Gaikwad.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
