Three candidates filed nomination papers for Mumbai seats on Tuesday: BJP leader and Union minister Piyush Goyal, from North Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Dina Patil, from Mumbai North East, and Congress city chief Varsha Gaikwad, from Mumbai North Central.
Goyal filed his nomination at the collector’s office in Bandra. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Union minister Ramdas Athawale, MP Gopal Shetty and Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar accompanied him to the office.
Shinde later told journalists that voters will acknowledge the work done by the Mahayuti government in the past two years and the work done by the BJP government at the Centre. “People’s love and blessings are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
With a fresh mandate for the BJP, the country would continue on its development journey, Goyal said. Goyal said if elected, he would focus on areas such as infrastructure, transport, education and health.
Goyal, who has been campaigning in his constituency for the past month along with his wife Seema, went to Shree Pushtipati Ganesha Temple in Nancy Colony. Wearing the red caps of the local Koli community, the couple sought blessings from Lord Ganesh.
They were accompanied by workers from Mahayuti parties, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, and the Republican Party of India.
Patil, the MVA candidate, filed his papers in the election office at Vikhroli. MLAs Sunil Raut, Sachin Ahir and Ramesh Korgaonkar, former mayor Datta Dalvi, NCP (SP) Mumbai president Rakhi Jadhav, Mumbai Congress working president Charanjit Sapra, Republican Party of India (Ambedkar) national president Deepak Nikalje, former corporator Suresh Patil and hundreds of workers were present on the occasion.
Gaikwad filed her nomination form at Bandra collector’s office. She also organised a long procession from Kherwadi junction. Former MP Priya Dutt accompanied her. However, Congress leader Naseem Khan, Bhai Jagtap and Chandrakant Handore did not participate in the procession. Gaikwad went to Siddhivinayak Temple, Chaitya Bhoomi, Mahim church and Mahim dargah before filing the nomination.
