That this Congress MLA has been a corporator is obvious in his priorities, for all of them are extremely local — some of them long-pending issues in his constituency. “Playgrounds, gardens and infrastructure are my first priority. I have to do a lot for the welfare of senior citizens. I want to construct a concept garden for them. Footpaths will be barricaded to prevent bike riders from breaking the law and riding on the pavement,” said Aslam Sheikh who won the Malad West seat with a majority of 27,795 votes.

Ask him who he owes his victory to, and pat comes the reply, “My party and my work.”

His father Ramzan Ali Sheikh was a Congressman, but Sheikh has not always been with the Congress — he started off with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and was once considered a close aide of party state leader Abu Asim Azmi. He has been corporator twice, once from the SP and later in 2007 from the Congress. In his second term, he rose to become the chairman of the local ward committee.

On why he left the Samajwadi Party, he is candid. “Because it was working for a particular section and community. It has no agenda for Maharashtra. And neither Abu Azmi or the party had any influence on people. They won at least two seats in the last elections because of me. In my case, the MNS factor did not work in my constituency. I am secular. I came forward as a local leader, who really worked for his people. And that’s why I got a lot of votes from Hindus, especially Sikhs. That has touched my heart.”

... contd.