Maharashtra local body polls: Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh urges voters to prioritise development over caste

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 1 (ANI): Ahead of the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh on Thursday urged citizens to look beyond caste considerations and focus on development while casting their votes.
Speaking to reporters, Shaikh emphasised the need for capable leadership to improve Mumbai's infrastructure. "People should not get into the caste. They should think about who will be able to make the infrastructure of Mumbai better," he said.
The Congress MLA also criticised the BJP and Shiv Sena, and said, "The BJP and Shiv Sena were ruling in Mumbai for more than 20 years. Even today, Mumbai is the country's pollution hub. People are not getting proper water. A discussion should be held on this. An educated and intelligent person should become the mayor."
The polling for 29 municipal corporation elections across the state, including Mumbai, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, will be held on January 15, with vote counting scheduled for January 16.
Earlier on December 30, Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut launched an attack against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after the Mahayuti announced its seat-sharing arrangement for the BMC elections, alleging that the Shinde Sena "bowed down" in front of the BJP.
Taking a jibe at Deputy CM Shinde, Raut said his faction will contest the seats allotted to them by the BJP.
The Mahayuti on December 29, finalised its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. The BJP will contest 137 seats, while the Shiv Sena will field candidates in 90.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Raut said, "So far, Shiv Sena gave seats to BJP, but now Shiv Sena is receiving seats because of Amit Shah. In the last 60 years, Shiv Sena has never bowed down to anyone and compromised in Mumbai, but Eknath Shinde's faction has gone to Amit Shah; this is shameful. Eknath Shinde's faction will contest on the seats given to them by the BJP. This was shocking to me... This is a misfortune for Marathi people."
Raut also announced that Shiv Sena (UBT), which came into an alliance with Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, will contest on around 140 seats in the BMC polls. He also hinted at an alliance with NCP-SCP.
"We will contest on around 140 seats, while Raj Thackeray's party will contest on a large number of seats. We are also giving seats to NCP (Sharad Pawar faction)," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said.
The Thackeray brothers - Uddhav and Raj - have joined hands ahead of the BMC polls. (ANI)