Inside Kalyan Lok Sabha: Alliance Rivalry, MP Shrikant Shinde's Tenure, And Key Insights

A Lok Sabha constituency boasting a significant Muslim and ST population providing considerable mandates to a conservative party like Shiv Sena presents a compelling narrative. Kalyan, one among Maharashtra's 48 Lok Sabha constituencies, embodies this phenomenon vividly. Since its inception in 2008 following a delimitation exercise, the constituency has remained steadfastly loyal to Shiv Sena, electing a Shiv Sena MP thrice in 2009, 2014, and 2019. However, recent months have seen Kalyan becoming the epicenter of political discourse. With two coalition partners at odds, the fate of the CM’s son hanging in the balance, and the opposition fielding a relatively unknown candidate, Vaishali Darekar-Rane, with the tagline of ‘giant killer,' the stage is set for an enthralling political drama. Before delving deeper, let's acquaint ourselves with the Kalyan constituency and the unfolding contest for the forthcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Kalyan Lok Sabha Constituency:

Kalyan, a general category seat nestled in the north-eastern suburbs of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), will witness voting in the fifth phase on May 20, 2024.

The constituency has a diverse population, including significant Muslim and Scheduled Tribe communities. The overall caste equation looks like below:

Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency comprises six Legislative Assembly segments: Ambernath(SC), Ulhas Nagar, Kalyan East, Dombivali, Kalyan Rural, and Mumbra-Kalwa. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds three MLAs: Kumar Ailani for Ulhas Nagar, Ganpat Gaikwad for Kalyan East, and Ravindra Chavan for Dombivali. Dr. Balaji Kinikar of the Shiv Sena (SHS) represents Ambernath(SC). The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) secured one MLA position with Pramod (Raju) Patil representing Kalyan Rural. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) holds one MLA position, represented by Jitendra Awhad from Mumbra-Kalwa.

The Mahayuti, with addition of MNS, currently holds 5 out of 6 assembly segments in Kalyan Lok Sabha.

In 2019, Shrikant Shinde secured victory in Kalyan, obtaining 63.03% of the total 8,87,955 votes, which amounted to over five lakh votes. His victory margin over his nearest competitor, Babaji Balram Patil of the NCP, exceeded 3,44,343 votes. The voter turnout in the constituency was recorded at 49.15%. In the 2014 elections, Shrikant emerged victorious over his closest opponent, Anand Prakash Paranjpe of the NCP, by a margin of 2,50,749 votes.

Shrikant Shinde Vs Vaishali Darekar-Rane:

Despite the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s initial bravado about fielding a strong candidate to challenge Shrikant Shinde, the party eventually nominated Vaishali Darekar-Rane, a relatively lesser-known figure. Shrikant Shinde, the incumbent MP from Kalyan and the CM’s son, is yet to be officially declared as the Shiv Sena’s candidate, primarily due to ongoing disputes with the BJP regarding the constituency. Despite Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis's announcement of Shrikant Shinde's candidacy from Kalyan, the Mahayuti has not officially endorsed his name.

Many believe that the nomination of Darekar-Rane, a two-term corporator from the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), may pave the way for an easy victory for Shrikant Shinde. But insiders in the Uddhav Thackeray camp tout Shiv Sena's track record of propelling party workers who were previously 'nobodies' to defeat political heavyweights.

Rift in alliance

Despite the Mahayuti's apparent advantage in this seat, internal rifts within the alliance and the disapproval of local BJP workers towards Shrikant Shinde indicate that complications are far from over for the alliance.

"He (Shrikant Shinde) has been an MP twice with the BJP's support. Now it's our turn to field a candidate. We have won a majority of assemblies in the Kalyan Lok Sabha area, so we deserve to contest this seat," said a party worker at the BJP office in Kalyan.

Another worker, in agreement, stated, "They want both the Kalyan and Thane seats, where the BJP has always been stronger. Shrikant has been winning with the support of BJP votes by significant margins. Why should we not stake our claim where we are stronger?" However, he also pledged to follow whatever decision the party high command takes in the interest of their goal to secure a third term for Narendra Modi as Prime Minister with '400 paar’' seats.

Even before the parliamentary elections were officially announced, the BJP and Shiv Sena found themselves embroiled in an intense battle despite being allies. At one point last year, Shrikant Shinde even offered to tender his resignation amidst rivalry with the local BJP faction.

They have long advocated for Ganpat Gaikwad, party MLA from Kalyan East, as the candidate for the Lok Sabha polls.

Regardless of whether the Shinde scion secures the ticket or not, it is imperative to critically analyse his 10-year tenure as an MP.

How has Shrikant Shinde fared in the last decade of his role as Member of Parliament from Kalyan?

Parliamentary Performance:

2014-2019:

During his first term as MP in the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-2019), Shrikant Shinde demonstrated remarkable dedication. With an 83% attendance rate, well above the national and state averages, he actively engaged in 136 debates and posed 904 questions. Additionally, he introduced 8 Private Member's Bills, exceeding national and state averages. Notably, he attended 100% of the Monsoon Session 2016 and contributed to debates covering diverse topics such as fishing policy, reservations, environmental concerns, and local issues like infrastructure development and railway improvements.

2019-2024:

During the 17th Lok Sabha, Shinde continued his impressive engagement. With an 80% attendance rate, surpassing national and state averages, he participated in 116 debates and posed 574 questions. Additionally, he introduced 12 Private Member's Bills, well beyond national and state averages. Notably, he attended 100% of the Monsoon Session 2021 and Special Session 2023. Some key discussions he contributed to included the Motion of No Confidence, Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2023, and granting Marathi classical language status. He also addressed local issues such as improving train services and infrastructure in various stations, funding for yard remodeling, and establishing essential services centers in Kalyan and in  Dombivali.

Shrikant Shinde also actively participated in major debates concerning medicines and public health and raised questions.

Work in constituency

During his tenure as an MP from 2014 to 2022, Shrikant Shinde utilised nearly all the funds allocated to him. According to data accessible on the MPLAD website, Shinde recommended a total of 290 projects, with 191 of them successfully completed by 2022.

The primary allocation from Shinde's discretionary fund was directed towards road construction. In 2015, a significant portion, amounting to Rs 1.61 crore, was allocated for the construction of the Davadi Gram Panchayat Shil road to Regency Society road. Additionally, Shinde allocated his entitled funds towards various other developmental endeavors, including:

1) Construction of road and gutters in Aadiwali- Dhokli gram panchayat, Samartha nagar: Rs 19 Lakh

2) Construction of sheds at Zehra orphanage in Achanak Nagar: Rs 9 lakh

3) Construction of road from Bhopar ganesh krupa chawl to jain temple in Dhesalpada gram panchayat: Rs 9 lakh

4) Construction of playing ground in garden and beautification: Rs 9 Lakh

 Financial sanctions were approved for several other works recommended by Shrikant Shinde as of 2022 like following:

1) Park renovation in Thakurwadi: Rs 7 lakh

2) Construction of community center and gym in Sainagar: Rs 18 lakh

3) Garden beautification near Gamdevi temple in Ambernath: Rs 12 Lakh

4) Dr.Narayn Vishnu Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari Park Beautification, Khadegolavali: Rs 12 lakh

5) Construction of community center near Hajimalang Shiv temple area: Rs 14 Lakh