Airoli, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra Elections 2024: Bastion Of Ganesh Naik, Can Shiv Sena UBT Break His Winning Streak

Mumbai: Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 is just around the corner and all eyes are on the big fight between the ruling Mahayuti, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) along with Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis (BJP), Ajit Pawar (NCP); and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) led by Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT) and Nana Patole (Congress).

This will be the second direct fight between the Mahayuti and MVA after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Ruling in the capital city, Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is what any political party wants. Constituencies like Thane, Kalyan, Dombivali, Mumbra, Bhiwandi and Navi Mumbai play a crucial role.

Battle In Airoli, Navi Mumbai

Airoli (150) assembly constituency falls in Navi Mumbai, Thane district. It was formed after the delimitation in 2008. It is part of the Thane Lok Sabha constituency. Airoli has been dominated by Ganesh Naik. In its first election in 2009 and second election in 2014, Ganesh Naik who was then with the undivided NCP then and leading the neighboring Belapur constituency, fielded his son Sandeep Naik from Airoli. Sandeep Naik won both the terms.

In 2019, Ganesh Naik who joined the BJP, contested from Airoli and won the seat. For 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls, Naik who is with the BJP now is recontesting the seat. While, his son Sandeep Naik has joined the NCP-SP and is contesting from the neighboring Belapur seat.

From Airoli, against Ganesh Naik, Sena UBT has fielded Manohar Madhavi and MNS has fielded Arun Bankhele.

Past Poll Statistics

In 2014, Sandeep Naik on NCP ticket defeated Shiv Sena’a  Vijay Chougule with a margin of 8,725 votes. In 2019, Ganesh Naik on BJP ticket defeated NCP’s Ganesh Shinde with a margin of 78,491 votes.

Performance During 2024 Lok Sabha Polls

Airoli assembly constituency is part of the Thane Lok Sabha constituency. In Lok Sabha 2024, total of 2,03,214 people voted, of which 1,02,974 had gone to the winning candidate Naresh Mhaske from Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. 90,662 votes were given to the trailing candidate former MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Rajan Vichare. From Airoli assembly constituency, Mhaske got 109,618 votes and Vichare got 99,820 votes.

About Airoli Seat

Airoli is not a reserved seat and is allotted to General Category candidates. The total number of registered voters during the 2019 assembly elections were 461,489 and the voter turnout was 42 percent.