The Worli assembly constituency in Mumbai is set to witness one of the most fascinating electoral battles. The Shiv Sena (SS) has fielded Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora against sitting Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray for this high-profile seat. Speaking about his candidature, Deora said, “We don't want to run any negative campaign; CM Shinde only positively wants the progress of people. We aim to stop the ‘speed breaker’ politics that hinder development.”Deora highlighted the importance of listening to the concerns and vision of the Worli constituents, asserting that their aspirations will align with CM Shinde's vision for the area. He drew parallels between the legacies of Balasaheb Thackeray and his own father, Murli Deora, stating, “This is not a personal battle; it is only a political battle.”
Addressing key issues in the constituency, Deora mentioned the challenges related to high-rises, chawls, and the rights of Mumbai's original inhabitants. He framed the election as a contest between the “real Shiv Sena” and the “fake Shiv Sena,” positioning his party as a champion of development against stagnation.“The fight is about development versus lack of development, fast-moving progress versus speed-breakers,” Deora concluded, rallying for a mandate that prioritizes the needs and aspirations of Worli's residents.
Milind Deora had quit Congress on January 13 and joined the Shiv Sena on January 14. Exiting the Congress party, Deora almost ended his family's 55-year-old relationship with the party. Deora quit Congress reportedly due to disappointment over the seat-sharing strategy of Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) in Maharashtra for Lok Sabha elections. The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies set for November 23.The main electoral contest will be between two alliances, namely the Mahayuti – comprising of BJP, Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) and Shive Sena (Eknath Shinde). The other alliance is the Maha Vikas Agadhi – comprising of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar).