In Mumbai’s Jogeshwari East, a heated altercation erupted between workers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The clash reportedly began over allegations that MP Ravindra Waikar was distributing money in the area, a charge leveled by the UBT faction. UBT members have also raised concerns over alleged police inaction, claiming that law enforcement has not sufficiently addressed the situation.
According to local sources, the incident escalated quickly, drawing attention from both factions’ supporters and resulting in a public scene in Jogeshwari East. The UBT faction criticized the actions of MP Waikar, suggesting that his involvement in alleged money distribution was aimed at influencing the local population. UBT workers further alleged that despite the disturbance, the police took minimal action initially, raising questions about impartiality. Police officials eventually intervened to defuse the situation and have assured the public that a full investigation will be conducted.
The Jogeshwari East Assembly constituency has become a key battleground in this election, with a heated contest between Manisha Waikar, wife of the sitting MLA and MP Ravindra Waikar, representing the Shiv Sena Eknath Shinde faction, and Anant (Bala) Bhiku Nar, a Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate and former corporator. The constituency is considered one of the best in Mumbai due to Ravindra Waikar’s significant development work for the people in the area. In the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena candidate Ravindra Dattaram Waikar won the Jogeshwari East seat with a margin of 58787 votes.In the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the Jogeshwari East constituency had 279663 registered voters but only saw 136934 votes cast—a turnout of 49.0 %.