Mumbai: The residential societies of Sion have unitedly fielded a candidate for the upcoming assembly elections to show the strength of middle class and upper middle class residents to the political parties. Pramit Mehta, a resident of Sion has filed nomination on behalf of the United Societies of Sion and will contest the Vidhan Sabha elections as an independent candidate.
Just as the Maharashtra VIdhan Sabha elections were announced, the residents of various housing societies in the Sion constituency have formed United Societies of Sion to voice their concerns and complaints regarding the political representatives. The group has over 40 societies as its members as of now. It alleged that the politicians have not been capable and efficient enough to solve their issues and are visible only around elections.
In a bid to go independent from the political parties, United Societies of Sion has fielded one of its members, Pramit Mehta (44) who is an advertising professional. Mehta filed his nomination on Tuesday as an independent candidate and claimed that the group’s aim is not to win but to create awareness among political parties about middle-class citizens.
The group has alleged that while the value of vote is equal across different segments of people irrespective of their financial or caste status, the government brings schemes and waivers for the lower economic segment of the society and the politicians distribute freebies among slum residents. United Societies of Sion is an aim to ensure that the middle class cannot be ignored and their needs should be addressed. It has also called upon the residents to cast their votes by checking the candidates and not the party.
The group has announced that the concerns of the high-rise, middle class and upper middle class educated residents of Sion will be the top priority of this organisation and winning candidate from any political party will have to address their issues. The group has also listed issues faced by its members which includes parking, hawker encroachment, residual slum dwellers, sanitation and infrastructure-related issues.
Talking to The Free Press Journal, Mehta said, “This is a drive to create a momentum to provide realisation to people that even their votes matter. Our intention is not to win the elections but to create awareness among the political parties that we are never taken seriously. They need to focus on educated and civilised people and our votes cannot be taken for granted.”
