Maharashtra Election 2024: CM Eknath Shinde takes on mentor's kin in bid to retain Kopri-Pachpakhadi

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde faces his mentor Anand Dighe's nephew as the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate in the Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly seat. (File Photo: PTI)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is locked in a prestige battle from his traditional Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly seat where he is up against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Kedar Dighe, nephew and legacy holder of his mentor Anand Dighe.

Seen as a stronghold of CM Shinde, Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly seat is among the most anticipated political battles in the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

The seat, which largely consists of blue-collared residential enclaves and the fast-vanishing manufacturing hubs, has a largely cosmopolitan population that comprises Marathi, North Indian and Sindhi populations in many pockets.

Eknath Shinde's ascent as the Chief Minister has managed to place the constituency on the development map. Yet, concerns around town planning, traffic congestions and lack of civic facilities remain in the constituency, Times Of India reports citing locals.

“There are several state-sponsored pro- jects announced, but not many are even halfway to completion. Transportation modes and services are falling short of expectations. Civic amenities like waste disposal and road networks are largely inadequate,” the report quotes a local as saying.

The large-scale exodus of manufacturing units even as CM Shinde lays down a red carpet for the IT industry.

"Nearly 80% of old units have shut down or relocated as facilities, traffic congestion, and inadequate water and power supply make operating from here unviable. Govt seems to be laying a red carpet for the IT industry, but neglecting the manufacturing hubs. We fear the manufacturing industry could vanish from Wagle in the next five years," Sandeep Parikh, senior vice-president of Thane Small Scale Industries Association, told TOI.

Polling for the Maharashtra elections will be held on November 20 and the results will be declared on November 23.