MLA Ravindra Waikar is Shiv Sena nominee from Mumbai North West

Waikar was a minister in the BJP-Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) governments in the state. He was a close associate of Uddhav Thackeray and was known to be part of the clan’s kitchen cabinet.

Waikar’s troubles with central agencies began after the Shiv Sena split. In September 2023, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police booked Waikar and five others on a complaint by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. The BJP leader alleged that Waikar was involved in a Rs 500-crore scam. He claimed that Waikar fraudulently obtained approval for constructing a five-star hotel on a plot reserved for a garden by using his political influence, causing huge loss to the BMC.

The ED registered a case of money laundering against Waikar in November 2023, based on the Mumbai police’s EOW’s FIR. The ED raided seven premises connected to Waikar and questioned him several times.

After the Bombay High Court on September 8, 2023, dismissed his plea against BMC’s decision to cancel permission to develop the land to build a five-star hotel on Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), Waikar approached the Supreme Court.

Amid talks that Waikar had smoked the peace pipe with Shinde, the BMC informed the Supreme Court on February 26 that it was withdrawing its earlier order that had revoked permission granted to Waikar to build the five-star hotel and submitted that it would reconsider his application.

After the BMC reversed its decision, the ED case weakened, and two weeks later, he joined the Shinde faction. The Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena is said to have had a a difficult time in finding a replacment for outgoing MP Gajanan Kirtikar from the constituency, which consists of the six assembly seats of Jogeshwari East, Dindoshi, Goregaon , Versova, Andheri East and Andheri West.

After exploring various options, the Sena is said to have choosen a reticent Waikar due to his substantial clout in the area.

“Waikar is synonymous with work. This has become my brand. I have been serving people for 35 years. My campaigning has been on for the last 35 years,” Waikar said after this name was announced. When asked if the investigation against him launched by the central agencies were instrumental in him switching sides, Waikar said that he has been absolved of all charges.

“Waikar does not bow down to any pressure. There are no charges against me. All the charges that the BMC has levelled against me have been taken back,” Waikar said. His electoral rival Amol Kirtikar is facing Enforcement Directorate investigation for his alleged involvement in the “khichdi” scam related to irregularities in the contracts allotted to companies by the BMC for the preparation and distribution of khichdi food to migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.