Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Springing a surprise, Uddhav Thackeray has fielded two women in the two crucial Lok Sabha seats of Mumbai’s far suburbs - Kalyan and Palghar - to take on political heavyweights.
The Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena has nominated Vaishali Darekar-Rane for the Kalyan seat in Thane district. The Kalyan seat is currently represented by Dr Shrikant Shinde, the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Darekar-Rane had previously contested the Kalyan seat for Raj Thackeray-led MNS against the unified Shiv Sena's Anand Paranjape in the 2009 elections, finishing third with1.02 lakh votes.
From Palghar (ST), the Shiv Sena (UBT) has nominated Bharti Kamdi, a grassroots worker who has been associated with the party since the late nineties.
The Palghar seat is currently represented by veteran politician and former state minister Rajendra Gavit of the Shiv Sena, who is now with Shinde.
For both these constituencies, seat-sharing talks between BJP and Shiv Sena are underway.
Meanwhile, BJP MP from Jalgaon Unmesh Patil, who was denied a ticket this time, has joined the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) after being rattled with the BJP's decision.
From the Jalgaon seat, Thackeray has nominated Karan Pawar to contest, and Patil has extended support to him. Under the MVA's seat-sharing pact, the Jalgaon seat has been allocated to Shiv Sena (UBT). Pawar is a former president of Parola Municipal Council in Jalgaon district.
Thackeray has also nominated Satyajit Patil to contest the Hatkanangle seat in the Kolhapur district.