In a significant move amidst a heated power struggle for the Mira Bhayandar constituency, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially nominated Narendra Mehta as its candidate for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, sidelining Geeta Jain, a sitting Independent MLA who had garnered considerable local support. The decision, announced on Tuesday, has sparked discontent among Jain’s supporters, who had hoped the party would recognize her candidacy due to her previous electoral success and allegiance to the Mahayuti alliance.
The rivalry between Mehta and Jain is well-known in Mira Bhayandar’s political landscape. In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP had initially fielded Narendra Mehta, but Jain, rebelling against the party, ran as an Independent candidate and achieved a significant victory. She secured 79,527 votes, accounting for 37.60% of the total, while Mehta trailed with 63,992 votes, or 30.20%. The Congress candidate, Syed Hussain Muzaffar, came in third with 55,899 votes, representing 26.42%.
After her victory, Geeta Jain aligned herself with the Mahayuti coalition, further solidifying her political position. However, her exclusion from the BJP’s candidate list in this election cycle suggests a strategic decision by the party to reinforce Mehta’s candidacy despite previous electoral outcomes.
The BJP’s announcement was part of its fourth candidate list, which also included Sudhir Parwe as the party’s nominee for the Umred constituency in the Vidarbha region. As the elections approach, the dynamics within the Mira Bhayandar constituency will be closely watched, particularly regarding how Jain’s supporters will react and whether her previous success as an Independent will influence voter sentiment.
With the party firmly backing Narendra Mehta, the upcoming election in Mira Bhayandar is poised to be a contentious battle, reflecting the ongoing power struggles within Maharashtra’s political arena.