Mihir Kotecha first from any national party to file nomination in Mumbai

Mumbai: Mihir Kotecha, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Mulund, filed his nomination for the Mumbai Northeast Lok Sabha Constituency on Friday afternoon amid a big show of strength through a roadshow. Kotecha is the first candidate from any national party to file a nomination for the general elections in Mumbai.

Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, union minister Ramdas Athawale, and senior Mahayuti leaders were present for the nomination process. Fadnavis expressed confidence that the Mahayuti alliance will record a clean sweep in Mumbai. “Mumbaikars love [Prime Minister Narendra] Modiji. BJP, Shiv Sena, and Mahayuti candidates will win all six seats in Mumbai. Mihir Kotecha will win by a huge margin. There is no challenge from the [opposition alliance] Maha Vikas Aghadi in Mumbai North East and all other seats in the city. Modiji is in people’s minds.”

Hundreds of citizens participated in the roadshow, which started from Vikhroli. Kotecha said the vast crowd was a result of “Modi magic”. “People have decided to make Modiji prime minister for a third term. I am sure they will send me to Delhi with their blessings,” he added.

During the rally, Kotecha assured voters he would build a railway terminus in Mulund, permanently close the dumping grounds at Mankhurd and Vikhroli, and make Mumbai slum-free. “I will release my comprehensive manifesto for the Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency in the next 2-3 days,” he said.

While targeting Marathi voters, Kotecha highlighted in his profile that he has been organising Marathi dandiya for the last two years, along with a Diwali Deepotsav. “These events are organised for the common man of Mumbai and promote Marathi art and artists. As MLA, he has delivered all his speeches in the Assembly in Marathi,” his profile reads.

Kotecha, a businessman by profession, started his political career 34 years ago with the BJP. Currently the treasurer of the party’s Maharashtra state unit, the 49-year-old has climbed the ladder over the years after starting out as the youth president of BJP Mumbai. In the 2014 Maharashtra assembly elections, he lost from Wadala by a low margin.