Bhatkhalkar has an edge over others with a proven record

KANDIVALI EAST | Atul Bhatkhalkar's journey includes a longstanding link with BJP, RSS; residents say he has completed many projects in record time

- Megha Kuchik

Kandivali East, a Vidhan Sabha constituency in the Mumbai Suburban district, is part of the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency. BJP's Atul Bhatkhalkar, 59, has been re-nominated for a third term after serving as MLA for two consecutive terms.

With nearly 2.85 lakh voters, Kandivali East includes the Lokhandwala Township, Ashok Nagar, Thakur Complex, Poisar, Hanuman Nagar, and parts of Malad East. The constituency includes a mix of affluent, upper-middle-class, middle-class, and economically weaker sections. The Gujarati and Marwari communities hold a significant presence here, with Marathi speakers ranking third in number after Hindi-speaking and Gujarati populations.

The constituency was established during the 2008 delimitation of electoral boundaries. In 2009, Ramesh Singh Thakur of the Congress won the seat, but it shifted to the BJP in 2014 with Atul Bhatkhalkar's victory, who also secured victory in 2019 with 85,152 votes, defeating Congress' Dr Ajanta Yadav by a margin of 52,354 votes.

Bhatkhalkar's political journey includes a long-standing association with the BJP and the RSS. He was elected as a student representative at Mumbai University, served as an RSS pracharak from 1987-90, and held various key roles within BJP, including state secretary and spokesperson. He was first elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 2014 and re-elected in 2019.