Shock for Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Waikar: Daughter Suffers Stunning Defeat in Mumbai BMC Elections

Mumbai: Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Waikar has faced another major setback in the Mumbai BMC elections, just two years after making headlines by winning a Lok Sabha seat by a razor-thin margin of 48 votes. Waikar, once a close aide of Uddhav Thackeray, now sees his daughter Diipti Waikar Potnis defeated in a high-stakes civic poll, marking a second consecutive electoral blow to his family.

From Narrow Lok Sabha Victory to Civic Defeat

Ravindra Waikar had gained nationwide attention during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when he won against Amol Kirtikar, son of longtime Thackeray loyalist Gajanand Kirtikar, by just 48 votes, after campaigning for only 13 days. Despite staying loyal to Thackeray during the Eknath Shinde rebellion, Waikar later contested on a Shinde faction ticket, severing ties with the Uddhav Thackeray camp.

Now, even after the Mahayuti alliance’s sweeping success in Mumbai, Waikar has suffered another political setback—this time within the family.

Daughter’s Unexpected Defeat

Waikar’s daughter Diipti Waikar Potnis, an advocate by profession, contested from Ward No. 73 as a candidate of Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). She was defeated by Lona Raut, representing Shiv Sena UBT, the Thackeray faction. This comes after Waikar’s wife had also lost a local election following the Lok Sabha victory—then by a narrow margin of 1,541 votes against UBT candidate Anant Nar.

A Personal and Political Blow

The twin defeats of his wife and now his daughter highlight the growing challenge to Ravindra Waikar’s political influence in Mumbai, despite his own successful parliamentary career. Once a three-time MLA, Waikar now faces serious questions about his family’s electoral future, even as his professional and political legacy continues to command attention.