CM appeals for unopposed Pune bypolls, MVA refuses | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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CM appeals for unopposed Pune bypolls, MVA refuses

Feb 06, 2023 12:18 AM IST

Electing a candidate picked from the family of a deceased MLA has been the political tradition in the state.

Mumbai: The BJP-BSS coalition has appealed to opposition parties to not field candidates in the forthcoming Kasba Peth and Chinchwad bypolls in Pune necessitated on account of the demise of sitting BJP MLAs Mukta Tilak and Laxman Jagtap recently. The MVA, however, has decided to field its candidates and hopes to win both the seats.

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HT Image

The BJP has announced the candidature of three-term corporator Hemant Rasne from Kasba Peth and Ashwini Jagtap, widow of Laxman Jagtap, from Chinchwad. Following the announcement on Saturday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde called up key MVA leaders Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil and Nana Patole to request them to let the BJP candidates be elected unopposed.

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As MNS Chief Raj Thackeray put it in a letter, electing a candidate picked from the family of a deceased MLA has been the political tradition in the state. “The BJP responded positively to such an appeal during the Andheri East by-poll and withdrew its candidate,” said the letter. “Now the MVA has the opportunity to show its political maturity by not fielding candidates in the two bypolls.”

The Congress is expected to field Ravindra Dhangekar, who gave a tough fight to BJP candidate Girish Bapat in the 2009 and 2014 elections. Pune BJP leaders believe that defeating Dhangekar will not be easy for BJP candidate Rasne, although both enjoy a good rapport with the constituency’s voters. The Pune unit of the BJP is also apprehensive about infighting within the unit, as there were many aspirants vying for the seat: besides Rasne, there was Mukta Tilak’s husband Shailesh Tilak, as well as Ganesh Bidkar and Dhiraj Ghate.

Tilak expressed his unhappiness over the choice of candidate. “We were expecting the party to field someone from our family, as it would have given us an opportunity to complete Mukta’s work,” he said. “It would have also helped to get the party candidate elected unopposed. Had other leaders not asked for the candidature, it would have been a fitting tribute to the late MLA.” Tilak added that though the family was unhappy, they would work for the party candidate.

The MVA is expected to announce its decision on whether the Chinchwad seat will be fought by the Shiv Sena (UBT) or NCP by Monday. The NCP will, in all probability, field Rahul Kalate who did very well in the 2019 election as an independent and as a Sena candidate in the 2014 assembly polls against Laxman Jagtap.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said that since the BJP had failed to field a family member of Mukta Tilak, the appeal for an unopposed election was meaningless. “The BJP should have chosen one of her family members, considering her contribution to the party,” he said. “She would come to vote for the party candidate even during her critical illness.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that despite the appeal from Shinde and the letter from MNS chief Raj Thackeray, the MVA would contest both seats in the by-polls. “It is the wish of Maharashtra’s people,” he said. “The council elections results last week were an indication of what the people want and, in view of this, both seats will be fought by the MVA. The Congress will contest Kasba Peth while the Chinchwad seat will be contested either by the Sena or the NCP.”

The MVA leaders added that the BJP-BSS appeal to let their candidates go unopposed was meaningless since the party had itself fielded candidates in the Pandharpur, Kolhapur and Deglur bypolls after the demise of the sitting MVA legislators there.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Surendra P Gangan is Senior Assistant Editor with political bureau of Hindustan Times’ Mumbai Edition. He covers state politics and Maharashtra government’s administrative stories. Reports on the developments in finances, agriculture, social sectors among others.

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