Andheri East bypoll: Uddhav-led Sena to launch door-to-door campaign for Rutuja Latke

The bypoll will take place before the BMC elections and will be a litmus test for the Shiv Sena, which has undergone a vertical split after a rebellion spearheaded by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other MLAs. This will be the first election to take place since the rebellion.

The bypoll has generated intense interest as both factions of the Sena are in the race for the party’s ‘bow and arrow’ election symbol and the Election Commission of India (ECI) is currently hearing a plea to decide the ‘real’ Shiv Sena and allot it the poll symbol.

Though the Shinde faction has not fielded a candidate, it will be supporting the BJP candidate against the Uddav-led Sena. During the last Assembly election in 2019, the BJP candidate had lost the seat, but this time the saffron party is expecting to win the seat considering the support of the Shinde faction.

Meanwhile, the Congress has extended its support to the Shiv Sena and has not fielded a candidate. The Uddhav faction hopes this will help it to gain Congress votes. “We are starting the door-to-door campaign which will help us to reach out to voters and show the work done by the late MLA,” said a Sena functionary from Andheri.

The social equation in the Andheri East constituency is likely to be a decisive factor since there is a mixed population of various castes and religions.