Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis disclosed on Saturday that Shrikant Shinde, son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, will be contesting from the Kalyan constituency in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This decision marks a concession of the seat to the Shiv Sena, an ally of the ruling Mahayuti coalition.
The announcement follows a day of contention among local BJP leaders who initially opposed Shrikant Shinde’s candidacy for the Kalyan seat. However, Devendra Fadnavis clarified on Saturday that there is now unanimous support for Shrikant Shinde within the BJP ranks. He emphasized the party’s strong backing for Shinde’s candidacy, expressing confidence in securing his victory with a greater margin compared to the previous election.
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The Mahayuti alliance, consisting of the BJP, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP under Ajit Pawar, maintains its stronghold in Maharashtra. This decision underscores the collaborative efforts within the coalition as they prepare for the upcoming electoral contest.
Shrikant Shinde vs Vaishali Darekar
In the electoral battle for the Kalyan constituency, MP Shrikant Shinde is standing against Vaishali Darekar, a two-time corporator representing Shiv Sena (UBT).
Vaishali Darekar, aged 49, boasts over two decades of association with Shiv Sena. Holding a Master’s degree in history, she is currently preparing for the LLB entrance test. Her spouse, Sachin Rane, serves as an engineer in a multinational corporation.
Darekar stepped into the political arena spotlight when she contested the 2009 Kalyan Lok Sabha elections under the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) banner, securing the third position with 1,02,063 votes. Before her stint with MNS, she was a Shiv Sena member and held the corporator position in the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation in 2000. Her transition to MNS occurred following Raj Thackeray’s party formation.
Post the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, Darekar swiftly engaged in the 2010 Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections, securing her place in the civic body for the second term. Within MNS, she served as the leader of the opposition in KDMC. Amid MNS’s struggles post the disappointing 2014 assembly elections, Darekar reconnected with Shiv Sena in March 2016. Since then, she has actively contributed to the party, holding the current position of deputy chief organizer for the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency.
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