Baba Siddique is a happy man these days. The Congress candidate from Bandra has just done a hat trick.u00a0

Baba Siddique has maintained a lead of nearly 9000 votes in the old Bandra Assembly segment, which he has represented twice in the past.

The newly carved Bandra constituency for this assembly election has seen an addition of two new wards namely ward number 92 and 94. Says Siddique, "Both these wards are primarily Shiv Senas strongholds and are represented by Mohan Lokegaonkar and Vilas Chawri (both Shiv Sena's corporators) respectively in the BMC.

The BJP- Shiv Sena candidate secured a combined lead of nearly 6500 votes in both these wards."
Siddique seems to have secured a clear lead in the old Bandra assembly segment that comprises of ward number 95, 96, 97 and a major part of 93.

"I have got a lead of nearly 6200 votes in ward number 97 (Bandra Reclamation), a lead of nearly 3200 votes in ward number 96 represented by Congress corporator Asif Zakaria and a lead of nearly 2800 votes in ward no 95 ( Pali Hill and Khar)u00a0 represented by Congress Corporator, Kavita Rodriques.

The singular exception has been in ward number 93, which has been a BJP stronghold for the past 25 years and is represented currently by BJP corporator Ashish Shelar and earlier by Kranti Sathe of BJP. Here I have been lagging behind by nearly 3200 votes," explains Baba. However, in the overall tally of all four wards of the old Bandra assembly segment, Siddique has taken a lead of nearly 9000 votes.

More importantly the Bandra assembly constituency was very unique in the sense that the MNS did not put up a candidate here. The MNS had candidates in all other constituencies in Mumbai. Sanjay Dutt, Amar Singh, Jaya Badhuri and Maulana Obaid Ullah Azmi campaigned their heart out for the Samajwadi party candidate but could only muster 1800 votes.

One independent candidate and a Congress rebelu00a0 were also in theu00a0 fray but could not cut much ice with the voters and managed a total of 6400 votes between themselves, which would have otherwise been part of Baba Siddique's kitty.

Baba Siddique has managed to keep his existing voter base intact while making forays into the strongholds of the opposition. All this, despite the fact that the MNS factor which benefited Congress candidates all over the city and the state was clearly absent in his constituency. Addition of two new wards, which were essentially Shiv Sena strongholds, also could not stop Baba Siddique from winning.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and Baba Siddique is clearly amongst the toughest.