Sulabha Gaikwad campaigns for Vaishali Darekar in Kalyan

BJP MLA's wife campaigns for Shiv Sena candidate in Kalyan, indicating tussle between Mahayuti partners; BJP workers deny rift rumours

Thane: Sulabha Gaikwad, wife of BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad who allegedly shot at Shiv Sena (Shinde) leader Mahesh Gaikwad at Ulhasnagar, campaigned for Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Vaishali Darekar on Tuesday. Gaikwad, who had earlier wished Darkear victory in the polls, accompanied her during a rally at Gorpe village in Kalyan, indicating that the tussle between the Mahayuti partners was very much alive in the constituency.

Vaishali Darekar is in Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction. (ANI Photo) (Shiv Sena X)

On Tuesday, Darekar and Shiv Sena (UBT) faction MP Sanjay Raut were welcomed at Newali Naka in Kalyan by the party’s deputy leader Altaf Sheikh, Kalyan city chief Sharad Patil, Harshvardhan Patil and other office bearers. Raut and Darekar then attended a programme at the Gorpe village at the foothills of Malangad, where Gaikwad was also present.

Following the programme, Gaikwad accompanied Darekar and Raut for a rally, sitting on the front seat of Raut’s car. She attracted everyone’s attention and videos of her campaigning for the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate went viral.

BJP workers refused to talk about the reported rift between the party and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. “Both Vaishali Darekar and Sulbha Gaikwad were invited for the temple programme, therefore we could see them together. There is no problem between the parties,” said a BJP worker.