From Dharavi to Badlapur and Pune: Are Your Issues Being Heard?
Become a Quint Member as we highlight your concerns in last leg of Maharashtra elections.
Dear Voters of Maharashtra,
The state has entered its last week of political campaigning for the Assembly elections, a battle which is being touted to be one of the toughest that the state has ever seen.
As we travelled across the state over the past few weeks, we noticed two clear sentiments in every voter — confusion and distrust.
More candidates and MLAs switched sides in the past three weeks than in the last five years, while parties were deciding upon tickets, leaving their supporters wondering if ideologies and loyalties meant anything at all.
Amid all the chaos, politicking, and trust deficit, do you think the issues that matter to you were highlighted as much as they should have been?
In Mumbai, the highest tax-paying city, the politics of several parties revolve around the redevelopment of the Dharavi slum cluster by the Adani Group. But have the real issues of Dharavikars been adequately presented beyond the political narratives? When we spoke to the people in Dharavi for three consecutive days, we realised the layers of problems go way deeper.
'Only an Election Issue': Dharavi Reporters Tell Facts of Redevelopment Politics
'Smallest Businesses Feed 25 People': Dharavi Redevelopment & Fear of Job Losses
Not very far, in Thane's Badlapur, the issue of molestation of two minors in a private school, and the subsequent encounter of the accused janitor, still weighs heavily on the voters' minds. Meanwhile, the protesters who took to the streets over the alleged lapses by the police are now facing legal cases. The politicians who took credit for 'swift justice' in the case aren't seen standing up for them. Many of them narrated their heartbreaking ordeal when we spoke to them.
'I Tied Rakhi to CM, Was Detained 2 Days Later for Badlapur Molestation Protest'
A little father in Pune, the ugliest facets of India's legal and administrative systems were witnessed just six months ago when a drunk minor claimed the lives of two young working professionals after hitting the bike in Kalyani Nagar with his Porsche car. For two years before the accident, the residents kept complaining to authorities and local leaders about unruly pubs and intoxicated rash drivers in the wee hours. But hardly any action was taken. Now, when it's time to vote, how do they see their local candidates?
'Begged for Action for 2 Years': Shadow of Porsche Case on Pune's Pubs & Polls
In the Pune region itself, Junnar taluka's politics is driven by the NCP vs NCP politics. But what about the presence of 500 leopards that have led to frequent conflicts with human beings over the past two decades and claimed at least seven lives in the past six months?
'Shoot Them Or Shoot Us': 500 Leopards Are Driving an Election in Maharashtra
And along with these hyper-local issues, the one issue that looms large over the state is unemployment. While 24% of the state's voters cited jobs as an issue, 33% of state government jobs are still lying vacant. Was enough done to resolve the naukri crisis of the state?
Maharashtra Elections: High Unemployment Among Graduates, Jobs Voters' Top Issue
All such issues, no matter how big or small, impact the daily lives of voters significantly and hence, they need to be highlighted as much as possible. Over the past few weeks, the focus of our coverage has been on you and your issues.
In the last week of campaigning, we will be bringing forth more such issues — be it the stories of orphans of farmer suicides or the lack of representation of the queer community in the state's politics. But to be able to continue to tell the stories that actually impact you, we need your support.
BECOME A MEMBER* of The Quint today. By doing so, you will not just contribute to our coverage of the Maharashtra elections but also get access to all The Quint's paywalled, premium stories.
Regards,
ESHWAR
Associate Editor
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