The Bombay High Court has issued summons to Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Mahesh Sawant on an election petition filed by Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader Sadanand Sarvankar, questioning the former’s Assembly election win from the Mahim constituency.
The summons must be responded to by February 28, when Justice Arif Doctor’s bench will further hear Sarvankar’s election petition.
Sarvankar, a seasoned politician, lost his Mahim Assembly seat in Mumbai to Sawant, a newcomer in the state elections. Sawant won the Mahim seat with 50,213 votes, while Sarvankar finished second with 48,897 votes.
Soon after the election in November 2024, Sarvankar filed an election petition, alleging that Sawant misled voters by failing to disclose all pending criminal cases against him. Sarvankar’s plea argues that this non-disclosure is sufficient grounds for Sawant’s disqualification and the nullification of the 2024 Mahim Assembly election results.
The Mahim seat was a key battleground during the election season. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray’s son, Amit, became only the second Thackeray to contest an election after his cousin, MLA Aaditya Thackeray. However, Amit lost the Mahim Assembly seat, securing 33,062 votes.
The seat also witnessed internal friction among Mahayuti partners when BJP leaders openly urged then-Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to direct Sarvankar to withdraw from the contest to ensure an easy win for Amit Thackeray. However, Sarvankar refused to step aside and persistently convinced Shinde that Thackeray had no chance of winning and that he would secure the seat instead.
On the last day of nomination withdrawals, Sarvankar even visited the Thackeray residence to persuade Amit to withdraw, but the discussions did not take place as the Thackerays refused to meet him.
