Matoshri entrusted Khaire for 6th time

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The Shiv Sena (UBT) group has announced Chandrakant Khaire as its official candidate from Aurangabad Lok Sabha Constituency for the Lok Sabha 2024 polls today.

Shiv Sena (UBT) has declared the list of its 17 candidates from different constituencies of Maharashtra.

Khaire will be contesting the LS polls for the sixth consecutive term. Meanwhile, the second aspirant in the race Ambadas Danve tried his best to seek nomination but was in vain.

Meanwhile, the issue of seat sharing seems to have not been resolved in the Maha Yuti camp. It is yet to be decided whether the local constituency should be spared for BJP or Shinde group candidate.

Khaire contested his maiden election in 1999 and since then he got elected till 2014. In 2019 elections, he tasted defeat in the triangular fight between the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, AIMIM, and independent candidates.

I am indebted to the party: Khaire

The party has put a trust in me. The decision has been taken after a thorough discussion by all the leaders. I will fulfill the responsibilities given to me. This is a victory of integrity. I do have to struggle a little to get the nomination. However, my candidature got selected due to party chief Uddhav Thackeray, said the candidate Chandrakant Khaire.

When asked about the challenge that emerged due to Danve, Khaire said, “The ticket has now been finalised and now, nobody is against anybody. This is the discipline of Shiv Sena. Me and Danve will work unitedly. The Shinde group are traitors. I do not consider AIMIM as a challenge.”

Danve said, “The party chief has decided after taking consensus of all. The candidate for the Lok Sabha is competent. I have been seeking nomination for LS polls since 2014. I will abide by the final decision of the party. I am already given a big responsibility in the form of the leader of the opposition and my efforts will be to try and elect all the candidates of the party in the state. I am not restricted till the local constituency.”

Box

1999 LS polls

Chandrakant Khaire (Shiv Sena) - 3,81,270

Br. A R Antulay (Congress) - 3,25,943

2004 LS polls

Chandrakant Khaire (Shiv Sena) - 4,77,900

Ramkrishna Baba Patil (Congress) - 3,55,977

2009 LS polls

Chandrakant Khaire (Shiv Sena) - 2,55,896

Uttamsingh Pawar (Congress) - 2,22,882

2014 LS polls

Chandrakant Khaire (Shiv Sena) - 5,20,559

Nitin Patil (Congress) - 3,58,812

2019 LS polls

The 36-years-long political journey of Khaire (who was the leader of the opposition in the municipal corporation, MLA and MP) came to a halt with the defeat in the 2019 elections. AIMIM candidate Imtiaz Jaleel defeated Khaire for the first time by a margin of 5,830 votes. He polled 3.88 lakh votes, while Khaire got 3.83 lakh votes. The independent candidate Harshavardhan Jadhav secured 2.83 lakh votes, while Congress candidate Subhash Zambad secured over 91,000 votes.