Mumbai, Jan 17: The recently concluded municipal corporation elections have marked a significant milestone for the Koli community, with eight candidates from different parties securing decisive victories
across various wards.
Samiti welcomes results
These results have been welcomed by the Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti, an organisation representing the fishermen’s community, which had appealed to the Koli community in Mumbai to vote for Koli candidates irrespective of political party affiliations.
Party-wise performance
The electoral results show a diverse political representation among the winning candidates, with the Shiv Sena (UBT) leading the tally with five successful candidates: Milind Vaidya, Hemangi Worlikar, Geeta Bhandari, Chintamani Nivate, and Joseph Koli. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clinched two seats through the victories of Sangita Sunil Koli and Anita Vaiti. The Indian National Congress secured one seat with the win of Sangeeta Koli.
Community voting strength highlighted
Devendra Damodar Tandel, president of the Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti, said that nearly one-third of Mumbai’s Marathi-speaking voters belong to the Koli community; if this collective strength is exercised with unity, it can significantly improve the representation of fisherfolk in the municipal corporation.
Increased representation this year
Tandel noted that in the previous municipal house, the Koli community had only three candidates. This year, twelve Koli candidates contested. The success of eight candidates is an opportunity for the community to strengthen its voice in civic governance, said Tandel.
Long-pending civic issues flagged
The Samiti highlighted long-standing concerns such as inadequate budgetary allocation for Koliwadas, the deterioration of fish markets, the forced relocation of traditional fish markets, and the neglect of jetties.
Also Watch:
Strong presence of women leaders
The organisation also highlighted the strong female representation within the community’s leadership, with six out of the eight victorious candidates being women. Furthermore, the success of these candidates across three different political platforms — UBT, BJP, and Congress — indicates that the Koli community’s leadership is valued across the political spectrum, said Tandel.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
