Dr Sailen Kumar Ghosh, A retired food technologist of Baba Atomic Research Centre (BARC), has filed his nomination to contest this year’s Lok Sabha elections. Dr Ghosh retired from BARC two months ago and on on April 2 he filed his nomination as an independent from the South-Central Mumbai constituency which includes areas like Trombay, chembur, Wadala and Dharavi.

Dr. Ghosh will be contesting with other candidates from south central Mumbai constituency including Suresh Gambir (Shiv Sena) and Eknath Gaikwad (Congress) and Shweta Parulekar (MNS).

His Prime Objectives/ Issues: -

• To bring in more accountability of Indian scientific community
• To change or modify the Service Conduct Rule and to establish a scientists’ rights commission

“I will be fighting for the change or modification of Service conduct Rule if I get elected,”he told PTI. Having interest in bringing in changes in the society through a transparent governance and make the scientific community accountable to the nation, the 60-year-old, Ghosh said the Service Conduct Rule has to be changed (which was created by British) in order to bring in open debates and discussions on various issues and programmes for better implementation for the people.

Ward numbers of areas falling under MUMBAI SOUTH-CENTRAL   constituency

• 172 Anushaktinagar
• 173 Chembur
• 178 Dharavi
• 179 Sion Koliwada
• 180 Wadala
• 181 Mahim

Polling centres are likely to remain the same.

• Read more on this in Chembur-Ghatkopar-Plus “Voters be aware of these changes” by Sujatha Subraman

MUMBAI SOUTH-CENTRAL  :
Mahim, Wadala, Koliwada, Dharavi, Chembur and Anushakti Nagar.

Contenders:

• Eknath Mahadeo Gaikwad| INC(Congress) He is the only Maharashtrian candidate-and a prominent Dalit face-for the Congress in the city. Gaikwad has to depend on the Dalit votebank in Dharavi and the eastern suburbs. He will also have to look for Muslim sympathisers as there is a good percentage of Muslim voters in his constituency.
• Suresh Gambhir | Shiv Sena : He is the MLA for Mahim, but the announcement of his name came as a surprise. This constituency was earlier contested by senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi, who has decided not to contest.
• Shweta Parulekar| MNS: She is a relatively new entrant into elections, but can eat into the Marathi votes in areas like Dadar and Dharavi

Constituency Information:

• Male voters 8,25,546 | Female voters 6,64,486
• Total voters 14,90,032
• Main communities – Maharashtrians, Dalits, South Indians, Muslims
• Slum voters 62.28%

MUMBAI NORTH-EAST : Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar, Ghatkopar East, Ghatkopar West, Vikhroli, Bhandup and Mulund

Contenders:

• Kirit Somaiya | BJP : The BJP high command preferred him over Poonam Mahajan. Somaiya banks heavily on Gujarati votes and has been raising issues like electricity woes.
• Sanjay Patil | NCP : The MLA hails from a rich family of landlords. The son of the late MLA Dina Bama Patil, Sanjay Patil has served as the Mumbai president of the NSUI before heading the NCP youth wing.
• Shishir Shinde| MNS : Known for harping on the Marathi manoos issue, he recently forced a Karachi sweetmeat shop owner to remove the word `Karachi’ from his shop signboard
• Ashok Singh| BSP:  A grassroots worker, he may eat into the Dalit votebank in Ghatkopar

Constituency Information :

• Male voters 8,71,726 | Female voters 6,98,616
• Total voters 15,70,342
• Main communities – Maharashtrians, Gujaratis, North Indians, Muslims
• Slum voters 69.74%