Gaikwad was accomapnied by former Congress MP Priya Dutt and workers from other parties which are constituents of opposition's INDIA bloc. 

Gaikwad emerged as the official candidate for the Mumbai North Central seat after an intense selection involving senior leaders like Arif Naseem Khan and Bhai Jagtap. 

The decision to nominate Gaikwad over other contenders sparked controversy, particularly among Muslim voters who expected Arif Naseem Khan, a former MLA with a significant presence in the constituency, to receive the ticket.

Priya Dutt had previously represented the Mumbai North Central constituency for Congress, before being defeated by BJP's Poonam Mahajan in the last two elections.

Gaikwad's desire to contest from Mumbai South Central was thwarted by the Shiv Sena (UBT), which claimed the constituency for its former MP Anil Desai as part of a seat-sharing agreement within the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Gaikwad will be contesting against advocate Ujjwal Nikam, who is BJP's nominee for Mumbai North Central, in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Voting for the Mumbai North Central and other constituencies in the city for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be held on May 20.