Lok Sabha polls 2014: ‘No entry’ for netas in South Mumbai

The ‘snob’ quotient of South Mumbai has always been high: people fiercely guard their space and privacy here, and any kind of intrusion — even the political type — isn’t welcome at all.

It’s not only the occasional salesman who is not welcome in these housing societies, but as political parties are slowly realising, South Mumbaikars do not have much patience for their candidates as well.

A number of tony housing societies on Napean Sea Road, Breach Candy, Worli, Malabar Hill and Cuffe Parade have in fact not allowed political party candidates to enter their society premises for campaigning during the ongoing elections.

“People living in these buildings simply don’t care. They are so well off that they don’t need politicians to solve their problems. The arrogance is amazing,” says Gaurav Sharma, an Independent candidate from Mumbai South, who himself has been denied entry into many societies.

The experience of other parties — Congress, AAP, Shiv Sena or MNS — is the same. However, none of the political parties want to go on record in the subject. “Yes, there are buildings where no political party was allowed entry for campaigning,” was all an AAP functionary had to say.

In 2009, of the 16 lakh voters, only 6.41 lakh voted. A majority of those who came out to vote were from the slum pockets in Colaba and the lower and middle class people from Bhendi Bazaar, BDD Chawls in Worli, and other areas.

Daniel Francis, the campaign manager of Congress candidate Milind Deora, however said that he didn’t face any such problems. “You have to see what political party and the candidate that’s being disallowed. We are getting favourable response wherever we are going.” he said.

An MNS functionary said that they don’t even go to these places to campaign.