Worli MLA and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, along with Karjat Jamkhed MLA and NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar, held a joint rally in Pimpri-Chinchwad's Akurdi in support of Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate for the Maval Lok Sabha seat, Sanjog Waghere, on Tuesday. Following the rally, Waghere filed his nomination papers.
Waghere transitioned to Shiv Sena (UBT) from Ajit Pawar's NCP in December last year. Hailing from Pimpri Gaon, Waghere served as a three-time corporator of the PCMC and formerly held the mayoral position in the industrial city. He also held the role of the NCP's Pimpri-Chinchwad unit president. After the party's division, Waghere aligned himself with the Ajit Pawar-led faction. Additionally, Waghere's wife, Sunita Waghere, has served as a corporator two times and chaired the PCMC standing committee. Furthermore, his father, Bhiku-Patil Waghere, served as the mayor of PCMC.
Waghere will face off against two-term MP Shrirang Barne of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Barne defeated Ajit Pawar’s son, Parth, by over two lakh votes. Barne began his political journey in 1997 as a corporator in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) with the Congress party. He served as chairman of the standing committee of the PCMC from 1999 to 2000 and was also president of the Pimpri-Chinchwad unit of Congress from 2002 to 2007. Barne joined the Shiv Sena in 2009 in the presence of Uddhav Thackeray. In 2012, he was elected as Sena's group leader in PCMC. Later in 2014, Barne contested the Lok Sabha polls and emerged victorious by defeating PWP candidate Laxman Jagtap and NCP nominee Rahul Narvekar. After the split in the Sena, Barne joined the faction led by Eknath Shinde.
The Maval constituency, historically a Shiv Sena stronghold, is witnessing an intriguing battle this time between Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena.
The constituency comprises six Assembly segments, with three falling under Pune district (Pimpri, Chinchwad, and Maval), and the remaining three (Uran, Panvel, and Karjat) under Raigad district.
In total, the constituency boasts 2,509,461 voters, with 1,310,434 males, 1,198,868 females, and 159 individuals identifying as the third gender. Additionally, there are 632 overseas voters and 751 service voters.
Voting is scheduled for May 13.
