Mumbaiya Politics

I believe that three things which drive Mumbai are its Nightlife, which I think is vanishing now; thanks to ACP Vasant Dhoble, Crime, and Politics.

In Rohit Shetty’s film Singham, there is a dialogue “Yahan politics main system ho ya na ho, lekin system main politics jaroor hota hai”. We can refer Yahan as Mumbai (in fact India, but let’s narrow it down to Mumbai). 
So, “Mumbai main, politics main system ho ya na ho, lekin system main politics jaroor hota hai”

Before Independence:

Let us start with an era when there was British rule in India. Bombay and Politics are intertwined since 1885. The first session of the National Congress Party was held in Bombay from 28–31 December 1885. During the first fifty years, it held six sessions of National Congress Party. Later during the 20^th century it became a strong base for the Indian independence movement.

After Independence:

After Independence, in 1960s Bombay saw the rise of regional parties. On 19 June 1966, Shiv Sena party was formed which headed a campaign to expel South Indian and North Indians migrants forcefully. From Independence until the early 1980s, the Congress had dominated the politics of Bombay, but in 1985 Shiv Sena won the Bombay municipal corporation elections.

Different parties in Bombay/Mumbai:

To remove the Congress in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a major national political party, in 1989, formed an alliance with the Shiv Sena. In 1999, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) separated from the Congress, but later allied with the Congress, to form a joint venture known as the Democratic Front.  Currently, other parties such as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and several independent candidates also contest elections in the city.

Parties those are very prominent in Mumbai are-

1. Indian National Congress: It is a major political party in founded in Bombay in 1885. The party is currently the chief member of the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition headed by Sonia Gandhi.
2. Shiv Sena (SS): It is aright-wing Hindu party, formed on 19 June 1966 by Balasaheb Thackeray.
3. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP): On 25th May 1999, Sharad Pawar, Shri P. A. Sangma and Shri Tariq Anwar and other hundreds of their political supporters decided to form this new Political Party. Sharad Pawar was elected President.
4. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS): Raj Thackeray left the Shiv Sena in December 2005 and formed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in March 2006. He is a nephew of Bal Thackeray. Like his uncle, Raj Thackeray also headed a campaign to expel North Indian migrants by force.

In the Indian national elections held every five years, Mumbai is represented by six parliamentary constituencies: Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central, and Mumbai South. A Member of Parliament (MP) to the Lok Sabha, is elected from each of the parliamentary constituencies.

In the Maharashtra state assembly elections which are held every five years, Mumbai is represented by 36 assembly constituencies. A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) to the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha, is elected from each of the assembly constituencies.

Along with this, elections are also held every five years to elect corporators in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The Corporation comprises 227 directly elected Councillors representing the 24 municipal wards, five nominated Councillors having special knowledge or experience in municipal administration, and a Mayor. The tenure of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Municipal Commissioner is two and a half years.

Since there are many parties who wants to rule on Mumbai, there are always some or the other disputes. One party having rally for some reason then other one organising a rally for other. The only thing parties believe in is how to manipulate common person and create vote bank. It is said that Mumbai is a favorite place for terrorists and attackers. Mumbai is the financial capital of India. The politics in Mumbai has a great influence on the politics at the national level.

If financial capital is not in a good state, then obvious it will affect the whole country. But it is spirit of Mumbaikars who runs it. (I sometime doubts, it’s a spirit of Mumbaikar or the majboori.) Unfortunately there is politics everywhere, not in terms of political parties only but in a way Mumbai works, which corrupts the system. Hence whenever we hear of word ‘Politics’ most of us make faces and say ye toh gutter hai, saaf karne jayenge toh khud ke haath gande honge.