Can Raj Thackeray's son win Mahim amid Sena vs Sena?

Mumbai's prestigious Mahim assembly seat will see a high-stakes triangular contest on November 20 among the ruling Shiv Sena, the opposition Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

IMAGE: Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray will make his electoral debut from the Mahim seat. Photograph: ANI Photo

Mahim has witnessed the birth of the undivided Shiv Sena (1966) and then the MNS, which came into existence in 2006 when Raj Thackeray charted his own independent political course.

The MNS has fielded Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray, who is making his electoral debut from the Mahim seat, which is among 36 assembly segments in Mumbai.

The Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has fielded sitting MLA Sada Sarvankar from Mahim, while Mahesh Sawant is the Sena-UBT candidate from the seat.

Asked about his party fielding a candidate against Amit Thackeray, Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said the Sena was formed in the Mahim-Dadar belt and it cannot be the case that it will not contest the seat.

Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena-UBT president Uddhav Thackeray are cousins.

Uddhav Thackeray's son Aaditya Thackeray is the MLA from Worli in Mumbai and is seeking a re-election from the seat this time.

The Shiv Sena suffered a split in June 2022 when a section of MLAs, led by Shinde, revolted against Uddhav Thackeray, the then-chief minister.

Mahim is a mix of predominantly upper-class Maharashtrians, a sizeable cosmopolitan population and minority voters.

The Shiv Sena headquarters -- now with the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction -- is located in the area. It also has the MNS headquarters.

The iconic Shivaji Park ground is also located in nearby Dadar where both the MNS and Sena-UBT hold their annual Padwa and Dussehra rallies, respectively.

The constituency has always been with the undivided Shiv Sena or the MNS since 1990.

In 2009, MNS candidate Nitin Sardesai won from Mahim.

Elections to the 288-member state assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.