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Vaishali Darekar of Sena (UBT) likely to face Shrikant Shinde in Kalyan

Apr 04, 2024 09:56 AM IST

Darekar gained political limelight when she fought the Kalyan Lok Sabha elections in 2009 as the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate

MUMBAI After a studied silence over its Kalyan Lok Sabha seat, Shiv Sena (UBT) named two-time corporator Vaishali Darekar as its candidate for the constituency. Darekar is likely to face the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena’s sitting MP Shrikant Shinde during poll.

Darekar, 49, has been associated with Shiv Sena for over two decades
Darekar, 49, has been associated with Shiv Sena for over two decades

“We are fielding a common citizen, a housewife from the constituency,” said Uddhav Thackeray, Sena (UBT) chief, as he announced her candidature. Darekar, 49, has been associated with Shiv Sena for over two decades. She holds a Master’s degree in history and is now prepping for the entrance test for LLB. Her husband Sachin Rane is an engineer who works with a multination firm.

Darekar gained political limelight when she fought the Kalyan Lok Sabha elections in 2009 as the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate and garnered 1,02,063 votes, finishing third. That year, Shiv Sena candidate Anand Paranjpe won the election. Before joining MNS, Darekar was with the Shiv Sena and was elected as corporator of Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation in 2000. She joined MNS after Raj Thackeray formed the party.

After the 2009 LS elections, within a year in 2010, the election for Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) was declared – she participated and was elected to the civic body the second time. With MNS, she had the opportunity to work as leader of opposition in KDMC. Subsequently, as MNS struggled after its dismal performance in 2014 assembly elections, Darekar returned to Shiv Sena in March 2016. Since then she has been working for the party; her present post was of deputy chief organiser for the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency.

Though the chief minister’s son Shrikant is sitting MP from Kalyan, his party has not announced his candidature yet as its negotiations with BJP are on. BJP has sought one of the two seats -- Kalyan or Thane. Shinde is keen on contesting both.

Responding to the announcement on Wednesday, Darekar said, “In the last week of March, Thackeray had asked me about my experience of fighting Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and hinted my name was one of the many being considered. His final decision is an expression of his trust in me. I have a tough task ahead as the sitting MP is two-time winner and son of CM. But we should not forget that it was Shiv Sena and Thackeray which made them a leader.”

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