Ashok Jadhav of the Congress is unfazed about political observers attributing the ruling party’s victory in the Assembly polls to a weak Opposition. Jadhav has won second time in a row, this time from Andheri (West) by a margin of 30,000 votes defeating a Shiv Sena candidate.

Jadhav is not worried about poll calculations. For he has a one-point agenda; development of Andheri (West) constituency.

“I have always been interested in development-related works and people have voted for me for the work I have been doing for the last five years,” said Jadhav. Asked about citizens’ candidate Hansal D’souza who contested from the constituency with the support of several NGOs, Jadhav retorted vehemently.

“They (NGOs) used to come to me for all their work and I used to get them sanctioned. But later they turned against me,” he said.

Supporters of Jadhav, considered a heavyweight in Khar-Juhu-Andheri area, admit that D’souza dented their poll figures by over 5,000 votes.

According to Jadhav, the development projects in his constituency include the long pending Rs 240-crore re-construction work on the Cooper Hospital and prevention of construction work in designated open spaces meant for recreational purposes. “The demand for a medical college at the Cooper Hospital has been pending for years and I will ensure that work on the same begins in next 10 days,” he said.

He also said he will raise the concerns of citizens against the proposed metro phase II line till Lokhandwala. If it’s built above the ground, it would reduce the width of the road. “It is citizens’ demand and we have promised the same to them,” said Jadhav.

... contd.