Kalina Assembly Constituency: Intense Political Battle in Kalina: Potnis vs Singh Showdown | Mumbai News

Mumbai: The Kalina assembly constituency will once again witness two-time MLA and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sanjay Potnis slug it out with BJP‘s Amarjeet Singh.
Potnis won the 2014 assembly elections with a margin of just 1,297 votes over Singh in a multi-cornered contest, wherein Congress and the undivided NCP too fielded candidates. In the 2019 polls, Potnis managed to win the seat with a margin of 4,931 votes against the Congress candidate, and the BJP did not field a candidate as they were in an alliance with the united Shiv Sena.
This time around, Potnis does not have to contend with Congress, but with MNS candidate Balkrishna Hutgi and VBA nominee Mohammad Luqman Siddiqui, apart from his primary opponent, Singh.
Interestingly, though Singh is contesting on a BJP symbol, the assembly seat has been allotted to RPI (Athawale) by the Mahayuti alliance. He expects RPI (A) will help him garner support from the Dalit voters. Singh’s supporters pointed out that he managed to garner about 30,000 votes despite the presence of heavyweight North Indian leaders like Kripashankar Singh and Kaptan Malik in 2014.
Observers point out that the lead of 16,292 votes that Congress candidate Varsha Gaikwad had over BJP’s Ujjwal Nikam in Kalina assembly segmant in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls will work in favour of Potnis. “So far, it seems that neither the MNS candidate nor the VBA candidate may be able to make much of a dent in the vote share of Potnis. Besides, there is no major rebellion from constituent parties of both MVA as well as Mahayuti. Shiv Sena (UBT) had no other option but to nominate Potnis, as he stood loyal to Uddhav Thackeray when the party split,” said a Congress leader.
Singh, however, claimed that Potnis is not available to the people of his constituency. “There is an environment against the sitting MLA; even his partymen are against him. He has not carried out any major development work,” he claimed.
Once elected, Singh said, he wants to work towards making Kalina drug-free. “Also, traffic issues plague Kalina, Vakola, and New Mill Road in Kurla. I would work towards resolving them. There is a major problem with water, and it is sold for Rs 5 per pot. Redevelopment of slums on airport land and accelerating SRA and redevelopments, which are in limbo, and getting conveyance deeds for societies are some of my priorities. I will also pursue a major civic hospital in this constituency.”
Dismissing Singh’s allegations, Potnis said he is available for citizens in his office from 11am-4pm and 7pm-11pm every day. “The opposition is bound to make such allegations as they do not have issues,” he said.
Referring to the total number of votes that the MVA constituents had polled in 2014 to emphasise that he would emerge victorious this time too, Potnis added that his first priority for the constituency would be to strive for a policy and resolve the issue of redevelopment of dilapidated buildings stuck due to height restrictions. He further said that relocation and rehabilitation of people living in slums around the airport would also be prioritised.
Former Congress corporators Ashraf Azmi and Brian Miranda both said that they will work hard for his victory. “We will put in all efforts to achieve a better lead than what MVA candidate Varsha Gaikwad got for the Lok Sabha elections,” said Azmi.
“Whoever gets elected, we are hoping the MLA resolves the water problem in the constituency,” said Robin Viegas, a member of Vidyanagari ALM. “In the past too, water problems were resolved close to the polls, and continued after elections were over.”
Kalina Sundarnagar resident Manohar Khade said, “Basic civic amenities and services are a problem. Right from maintenance of gardens to sweeping of the roads and cleanliness, there is apathy towards these services. Roads and footpaths are in bad shape, and walking on them is tough for senior citizens.”