Maharashtra assembly elections 2024: 'Not a personal fight', says Milind Deora

Milind Deora. Pic/X

With Maharashtra assembly elections 2024 less than a month away, Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena candidate from Worli Assembly seat Milind Deora on Tuesday asserted that his only aim is to deliver justice to the voters of the constituency, highlighting that his fight is a political one, not personal.

Stage is set for a high-stakes battle in Mumbai's Worli assembly constituency as Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora belonging to the ruling Shiv Sena on Tuesday filed his nomination and will take on sitting MLA Aaditya Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (UBT).

"This is not a personal fight; it is a political fight. Our aim is only one: we have to deliver justice to the voters of Worli. We have to take Mumbai and Maharashtra forward. Unfortunately, the way a fake narrative has been spread against the government in the last 2-3 years, we have to bust that narrative...Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is very enthusiastic about solving the problems of the people of Worli," Deora told ANI.

On the performance of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray as Worli MLA, Deora said that he had a lot of expectations from junior Thackeray, adding that he failed to live up to those expectations.

"I don't want to make it negative, but I certainly see that there are a lot of opportunities and a lot of shortcomings in the last five years. There was a lot of hype and a lot of expectations. I had a lot of hype and expectations from him five years ago when he became an MLA from South Mumbai. Unfortunately, he's failed to live up to those expectations, not just for me but for the people of Worli as well. So we'll encounter those along the way in the next three weeks," the Rajya Sabha MP said, reported ANI.

"The Maharashtra government has performed very well, whether it's social welfare or infrastructure. And therefore people will re-elect this government," he added, reported ANI.

The Worli candidate from Shiv Sena further said that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's objective is to make the constituency move ahead.

He said, "We are trying our best to ensure that Worli, which is one of the most cosmopolitan constituencies in Mumbai, which has all communities living there, all people living from slums to high rises, take their issues, concerns, and aspirations to the Chief Minister. That is our objective. The Chief Minister has one objective. He wants Worli to move ahead. And therefore, we are fighting this battle to give people justice," reported ANI.

"I want to serve the people. If I get an opportunity to serve the people through Parliament, if I get an opportunity to serve the people through assembly, to me, service is service. The objective is how do you empower people, how do you help them to do better, so that is my objective," Deora added, reported ANI.

Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Milind Deora expressed his gratitude and welcomed the party's decision to field him as a Mahayuti candidate from the Worli constituency and said that he is committed to understanding the aspirations of every resident of Worli and will ensure their voices are heard by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Mahayuti alliance compromises Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Ajit Pawar led NCP.

In a post on X, Shiv Sena leader Milind Deora said, "I agree with Shiv Sena's decision to field me as a Mahayuti candidate from Worli, Mumbai. I will try my best to understand the aspirations of every Worlikar and convey their voice to @mieknathshindeJi."

The Maharashtra assembly elections 2024 are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies set for November 23.

In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44.

(With inputs from ANI)