Mumbai: Sanjay Nirupam promises to tackle gamut of issues from Aarey to occupation certificates

MUMBAI: Such is the diverse demography of Mumbai North-West that the Congress’ parliamentary candidate Sanjay Nirupam has to adapt quickly to the changing landscape. He peppers his vocabulary with Urdu words when meeting Muslims, slides into native Bihari style while backslapping north Indian voters and steps into the Gamdevi temple in a Maharashtrian neighbourhood.
The former parliamentarian is pitting fortunes against sitting Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar and SP aspirant Subhash Passi.
Mumbai North-West is the largest parliamentary constituency of Mumbai and comprises Andheri, Jogeshwari and Goregaon. The highrises of Lokhandwala Complex look upon SRA buildings and tenements in Adarsh Nagar, while Aarey Colony awaits a messiah to promise deliverance from infrastructure projects on forest land. Jogeshwari is a primarily Muslim suburb with Maharashtrian and north Indian influences.
Sanjay Nirupam has chosen to return to this constituency after having lost the previous election from Mumbai North. “Yet I am no stranger to the locality. I live in Lokhandwala. I organise my signature events here from the annual Chhath Puja to my wrestling competition,” he said.
Nirupam has been campaigning up to 16 hours a day. He said, “I leave home in Lokhandwala Complex around 9.00am for a brisk padyatra lasting four hours, then come home for a quick shower and a foot massage. I make sure to eat light because the rest of the day involves hectic campaigning also, holding rallies or streetcorner meetings. I return home around 1.00am. I am meeting segments who were long neglected like domestic workers and chowkidars. Marathi film actors are campaigning for me. Hardik Patel came to Mumbai especially for my rally.”
Voters of all economic backgrounds approach him to solve civic issues, help in the Aarey matter and protect mangroves. The dispute over Ismail Yusuf College land is also on his list as are three link roads. Several buildings do not have occupation certificates and conveyance deeds.
TOI trailed Nirupam’s campaign over three days. One Friday, nearly 700 ulema (maulanas) converged in Jogeshwari to pledge a “secular vote” on behalf of the Muslim community. “It is unprecedented for all sects including Sunni, Tablighi, Shia, Bohra, Wahhabi, Deobandi Barelvi to come together on one platform,” said former Congress corporator Mohsin Haider.
However, Maulana Burhanuddin Qasmi of Jogeshwari did express misgivings about the Congress for “letting Muslims down” and failing to forge alliances with AAP and Mamata Banerjee to consolidate the secular vote. Another maulana Shahid Shaikh said, “The Congress has done nothing for us either but how can we give an indirect vote to Narendra Modi who is threatening us with an ordinance over triple talaq? I feel the secular vote will be split between Nirupam and Subhash Passi of the Samajwadi Party because the constituency has a lot of north Indians. If that happens, the BJP-Sena will win. We are here to urge our community to make sure to vote and not divide the mandate.”
Another day Nirupam led a four-hour trail through the sprawling Anand Nagar slum. He stepped into a local pathology lab run by Dr Narendra and his wife Dr Nilima. “I give him a 50-50 chance against Kirtikar. Our local corporator Rajul Patel is from the Sena and her goodwill could benefit that party,” Dr Narendra said. Nirupam stopped at a South Indian breakfast stall to say, “2014 mein jo ghalati ki thi, dobara nahin karna.” The cook smiled and nodded.
The Congressman asserts the Modi wave of 2014 has ebbed. “Now people have seen through his false promises. Moreover, unlike the sitting MP (Kirtikar) who is invisible, I have been here for my people always. Passi will not win more than 5,000 votes because people have realised his sole aim is to bifurcate the mandate,” he said.