KALYAN: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s son and incumbent MP Shrikant Shinde (37) will be Mahayuti‘s candidate for Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency.
His name was announced by deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday after BJP workers supporting local party MLA Ganpat Gaikwad had on Friday raised slogans against Shrikant at a party event and demanded the seat should go to BJP and not Shiv Sena.The two-term MP Shrikant’s poll fight will be with Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Vaishali Darekar, who has twice been a corporator.
Differences between BJP and Sena units in Kalyan and Thane district have been brewing over the past one year. Thane is the stronghold of CM Shinde, and Shrikant won the Kalyan LS seat in 2014 and 2019.Shrikant Shinde said those who had created a ruckus on Friday were not BJP supporters but those of Gaikwad, who has been in jail for firing on Sena functionary Mahesh Gaikwad inside a police station. “And if they are BJP supporters, senior BJP leaders need to rein in such peoplewho make statements against the Mahayuti,” he said.Fadnavis , responding to a query on whether the delay in declaring the Kalyan nominee was due to BJP’s opposition to Shrikant’s candidature, said, “There is no opposition from BJP. BJP will stand with Shrikant Shinde in full strength, and all members of Mahayuti will ensure his victory.”
His name was announced by deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday after BJP workers supporting local party MLA Ganpat Gaikwad had on Friday raised slogans against Shrikant at a party event and demanded the seat should go to BJP and not Shiv Sena.The two-term MP Shrikant’s poll fight will be with Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Vaishali Darekar, who has twice been a corporator.
Differences between BJP and Sena units in Kalyan and Thane district have been brewing over the past one year. Thane is the stronghold of CM Shinde, and Shrikant won the Kalyan LS seat in 2014 and 2019.Shrikant Shinde said those who had created a ruckus on Friday were not BJP supporters but those of Gaikwad, who has been in jail for firing on Sena functionary Mahesh Gaikwad inside a police station. “And if they are BJP supporters, senior BJP leaders need to rein in such peoplewho make statements against the Mahayuti,” he said.Fadnavis , responding to a query on whether the delay in declaring the Kalyan nominee was due to BJP’s opposition to Shrikant’s candidature, said, “There is no opposition from BJP. BJP will stand with Shrikant Shinde in full strength, and all members of Mahayuti will ensure his victory.”