An MLA from Jogeshwari in Mumbai, Waikar was a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray before joining the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Waikar has been fielded by the Shiv Sena from Mumbai North West seat, party secretary Sanjay More said. He will take on Amol Kirtikar of the Shiv Sena (UBT).

In 2019, the BJP and its then ally Shiv Sena (undivided) won three seats each out of the total six in Mumbai.

The BJP has this time denied renomination to all its three sitting MPs in Mumbai. Gopal Shetty has been replaced with Piyush Goyal in Mumbai North seat, Manoj Kotak with Mihir Kotecha in Mumbai North East constituency and Poonam Mahajan with lawyer Ujjwal Nikam in Mumbai North Central constituency.

The Sena had won Mumbai South, Mumbai South Central and Mumbai North West. After a split in the party in 2022, Mumbai South Central MP Rahul Shewale and Mumbai North West parliamentarian Gajanan Kirtikar switched over to the Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde.

The Shiv Sena has renominated Shewale and the Shiv Sena (UBT) has renominated Arvind Sawant from Mumbai South. The ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the state is yet to announce its candidates for the Mumbai South seat.

The opposition Congress is yet to announce its candidate in the Mumbai North seat. Elections to all the six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai will be held on May 20.