Shaina NC, a fashion designer, prominent personality in Mumbai and daughter of former sheriff of Mumbai Nana Chudasama, was earlier with the BJP for several years. She joined Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and is now contesting against Amin Patel (Congress) from Mumbadevi constiatuency. Even before campaigning could gain momentum, she was the centre of a controversy where the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant, called her “imported maal.” She protested vociferously and the opposition tried to apologise and douse the issue.  Mumbai goes to vote on November 20th and Shaina NC is leaving no stone unturned to appeal to…

In 2022, with the world just recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, it didn’t seem extraordinary when elections to the richest civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were postponed. Though the reasons for postponement were a case in the Supreme Court about OBC seats and an earlier delimitation exercise, any aberrations to the existing systems were acceptable in the backdrop of two ghastly COVID-19 waves and Omicron.  But decisions that seemed fine at that point have outlived the concession. In Mumbai, as the city prepares for the state assembly elections, the elephant in the room is actually the BMC elections. Not to…