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The stage is set for a high-stakes contest in the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency as Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced Shrikant Shinde, son of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, as the Mahayuti alliance candidate. He will take on Vaishali Darekar, who has been given a ticket by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction.
This direct clash between Shrikant Shinde and Vaishali Darekar has garnered significant attention, as it pits the rebel Shinde camp against the Thackeray faction in a crucial battleground. Shrikant Shinde will be contesting for the third time from Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena.
However, Shrikant Shinde’s candidature has faced strong opposition from local BJP leaders, including MLA Ganpat Gaikwad. On Friday night, a resolution was passed at Gaikwad’s office stating that if the Kalyan seat is given to Shrikant Shinde, BJP workers will not participate in the campaign.
Despite this resolution, Fadnavis announced Shrikant Shinde’s candidature within 24 hours, asserting that the BJP has no opposition to it and will firmly stand behind him. This has put Gaikwad in a precarious position, as he now faces a dilemma: Will he follow the coalition’s decision and support Shrikant Shinde, or will he take a different stance?
The tussle over the Kalyan and Thane seats has its roots in long-standing conflicts between local Shiv Sena and BJP leaders in these areas. The feud between Gaikwad and Shinde faction’s city chief Mahesh Gaikwad is well-documented, with the former even leveling serious allegations against Eknath Shinde after an alleged firing incident.
As the battle for Kalyan intensifies, all eyes are on Ganpat Gaikwad and other local BJP leaders. Will they put aside their differences and work for Shrikant Shinde, following the coalition’s decision, or will they take a defiant stance? The coming days will reveal their course of action and further shape the dynamics of this high-voltage contest.
