Many political parties are using various tactics to woo voters in Mumbai, as its six constituencies go to polls on April 29. Using a well-known figure to promote their candidates is a great tool in campaigning, and Shiv Sena is using the same tactic with using its own ‘Home Minister’.
The party is using services of its leader and TV host Aadesh Bandekar to attract the women voters in Mumbai. Bandekar, who joined Shiv Sena in 2009, is a host of popular long-running show ‘Home Minister’. With the show, he has hosted about 50 women-only sabhas across the state to promote Sena candidates.
Bandekar’s campaign included sabhas, rallies and road shows all for women, packed with songs and dance. “I have held sabhas across the state, right from Amravati to Karad to Mumbai and Thane. We have got massive response. This was not a purely political campaign. It was a cultural show and fun, and we created a lot of awareness about the need to vote, too. I am sure the party will benefit,” Bandekar told Mumbai Mirror. Out of their 23 candidates in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena has only one woman candidate who is Bhavana Gawli from Yavatmal-Washim.
The support of female voters is crucial due to rise of women voters in Maharashtra. According to data by Election Commission of India, the ratio of women voters to men in Maharashtra is 911 for every 1000 men, which is up from 899 in 2014. There are 4.58 crore male voters in Maharashtra, and about 4.16 crore female voters.
