Jaya,Paswan,Nitish parties seek foothold in city of migrants

The AIADMK has fielded Soosairaj Babu Anthony Chetty from Malad (West) and Ramanathan Thevar from Sion-Koliwada,the LJP has nominated Mukund Sakpal from Jalgaon,Kiran Mane from Worli and Trimbak Shirsat from Akola (West),while the JD (U) is contesting four seats across the state.

“We contested in 1999 with three candidates but stayed out subsequently as the party was not registered in the state. We got registered during the corporation elections in Mumbai but did not contest. We have been working in these areas and therefore wanted to contest. This time,even,Jayalalitha madam agreed to have two seats contested,” said Somasundaram,the AIADMK’s Mumbai state secretary. Southern film star Ramarajan is slated to campaign in Mumbai for the candidates.

For the LJP,the party’s Mumbai president Kiran Mane said,“We are part of the Third Front which is focusing on the needs of the common man in terms of education,load shedding and farmer suicides. People do not want either of the prominent alliances anymore. We have been getting a good response and after many years seeing an agitation on the lines of the statehood movement.”

The JD(U) has an alliance with the BJP in Bihar but the two are engaged in four “friendly fights” in Maharashtra; the LJP may support the BJP candidates in other constituencies.

The party,which had earlier announced 11 candidates,stopped at four after withdrawals. It has nominated one each from Vihkroli in Mumbai and Ichalkaranji and two from Jalgaon.

“We are fighting against provincialism and casteism. We look at all of Maharashtra as one destination. We are giving citizens an option of clean candidates in the age group of 30-50 who have no criminal records,” said Rajkumar Singh,Mumbai president of the JD(U).