The election scene in Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency has taken a new turn with the Shiv Sena (UBT) asking former mayor Ramesh Jadhav to file his nomination. The party had already declared Vaishali Darekar, a relatively weak candidate, as its nominee and pitted her against Dr Shrikant Shinde, son of chief minister Eknath Shinde. Dr Shinde was elected from this seat in 2014 and 2019 with comfortable margins.
Darekar has started her campaign in earnest and has even filed her nomination after a show of strength. However, at the eleventh hour the Shiv Sena (UBT) has asked Jadhav to file his papers. According to sources, Jadhav was asked to enter the fray only as a standby candidate in the event of Darekar's nomination being rejected on technical grounds. Apparently the party feared that a Surat-type situation might prevail where the BJP nominee was declared unopposed following the rejection of the nomination papers of the Congress nominee.
But there is also speculation whether the party has suddenly developed cold feet since it feels that Darekar lacks the stature to take on Dr Shinde, who has the support of the MNS and has consolidated his position in the constituency over the past ten years.
