Worli, one of Mumbai’s most diverse and high-profile assembly constituencies, witnessed 26.96% turnout by 1 pm on Wednesday. This central Mumbai seat, known for housing some of the country’s wealthiest individuals alongside middle and lower-middle-class residents in old chawls, has become a battleground for three factions of the Sena.  

Aaditya Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate and former state minister, is vying for a second term. He faces stiff competition from Milind Deora of the ruling Shiv Sena and Sandeep Deshpande of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).  

Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT)
At 34, Aaditya is the son of former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and a prominent youth leader in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). He made his electoral debut in 2019, winning the Worli seat by a significant margin.  Aaditya has served as a Cabinet Minister and is known for his focus on urban development and environmental initiatives. This time, he is banking on his party’s grassroots network and his track record in the constituency.  

Milind Deora (Shiv Sena)
A seasoned politician, Deora, 47, is a former Union minister and a two-time MP from Mumbai South, which includes the Worli constituency.  He joined Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena earlier this year after leaving the Congress. Deora brings extensive administrative experience and aims to leverage his familiarity with the constituency to unseat Aaditya.  

Sandeep Deshpande (MNS)
Deshpande represents Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which has made redevelopment and accessibility central to its campaign.  He has emphasized Aaditya’s perceived inaccessibility as a key issue while highlighting his door-to-door outreach.  

Constituency snapshot  

The constituency includes some of the most expensive properties in India, commercial hubs, and historical chawls in need of redevelopment, including the iconic BDD chawls. It also houses Koliwadas (fishermen’s villages), reflecting its lower-middle-class population. Traffic congestion, poor housing conditions, and delays in redevelopment projects are some of the pressing issues.  

Campaign dynamics  

Aaditya’s campaign strategy includes mobilising party cadres through localised ward-level efforts.  Milind Deora is backed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and aims to offer an alternative to the Thackeray family’s legacy in the region. The MNS has been active in engaging with residents for over six months, focusing on door-to-door outreach.  

2019 election results  

  • Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena): 87,995 votes  
  • Suresh Mane (NCP): 25,748 votes  
  • Margin: 62,247 votes  

Whether Aaditya Thackeray retains his seat or faces an upset at the hands of his challengers will be revealed on November 23, when the votes are counted.