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STAR SPEAKER: Shiv Sena Chief, Bal Thackery, at 80 has remained its star speaker in Mumbai.

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Mumbai: The battle may be for Mumbai, but from day one the election campaign to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has had a national dimension.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi set the tone by appealing to Dalits to unite and bring down the killings in Khairlanji in her Shivaji Park address.

“What happened in Khairlanji was very shameful,” says Sonia.

However, while the Congress has tried to play up its credentials as a national party, the Shiv Sena has revived its regional appeal.

In a make or break election of the party, Shiv Sena Chief, Bal Thackeray even at the age of 80 has remained its star speaker.

"Mumbai will burn if separated from Maharashtra! Are you ashamed of being a Marathi? There will only be Marathis in Maharashtra,” says Thackeray.

While for the Congress, the growing north Indian population remains a key vote bank, for the BJP, it’s the Gujarati voter who has been its big supporter over the years.

And that is one reason why the party has made sure that the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi makes at least one public appearance.

“Terrorism will grow if the Congress comes to power,” says Modi.

While the BJP-Sena alliance has campaigned as a unit for the most part, the Congress NCP has remained a divided house.

“In a coalition, every party wins in accordance. They should feel not obligated to anyone,” says Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar.

For Raj Thackeray who has been the other star campaigner of the break Sena outfit, MNS, this is his first big electoral test.

And he will be hoping that this election marks him out as a serious player in Maharashtra politics.

So for most political parties it’s the low voter turnout that is a cause of concern this year. And Mumbai political parties are pulling out all stops to ensure that they get a higher voter turnout.

(With inputs from Mandar Phanse)