In a sharp political move aimed at two former Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) now contesting the Belapur constituency in the upcoming Maharashtra State Assembly elections, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has issued a unique challenge. The party has called on ex-MLAs Manda Mhatre and Sandeep Naik, to appear for a ‘50-mark question paper’ designed to test their understanding of local issues. The same has been posted on the social media ‘x’.
Gajanan Kale, the MNS candidate from Belapur, has created this "Constituency Knowledge Exam" to assess the former MLAs' efforts and effectiveness in addressing the concerns of the city. The exam, which both candidates are required to complete before voting begins on November 20, is seen as a way to hold them accountable for their past tenure.
“This exam is a report card to understand how much they are aware of the constituency they are fighting for. This will help people know who deserves the seat,” a party worker said. The said exam consists of both objective and subjective questions focused on the 151 Belapur constituency. The objective section, worth 20 marks, includes simple yes/no questions such as: Has the construction of an engineering and medical college been completed? Did they succeed in getting CIDCO transfer charges cancelled? Are owners of homes smaller than 500 square feet exempt from property tax? Have Project Affected Persons (PAPs) received fair compensation?
In the subjective section, they are asked to provide explanations for issues of high fee structure in private schools and steps taken to regulate the same. While Mhatre remained unavailable for the comment, Naik called it a political and immature stunt.
