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Cong-NCP likely to follow state formula of seat sharing in Pune too
In Pune, the NCP is staking claim on five seats while the Congress feels it has strong footing in Kasba peth, Shivajinagar and Cantonment assembly constituencies. The NCP is eyeing Wadgaonsheri, Parvati, Kothrud, Khadakwasla and Hadapsar seats.
With the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) sorting out their seat sharing formula at the state level, with both planning to contest 125 seats each in the upcoming assembly elections, all eyes are now on Pune.
In Pune, the NCP is staking claim on five seats while the Congress feels it has strong footing in Kasba peth, Shivajinagar and Cantonment assembly constituencies. The NCP is eyeing Wadgaonsheri, Parvati, Kothrud, Khadakwasla and Hadapsar seats.
Of the 288 seats, the Congress-NCP plan to contest 125 seats each while 38 seats will be shared among smaller allies like Raju Shetti led Swabhimani Paksha. In the city though, smaller allies are unlikely to get any seats, said Congress leaders aware of the developments.
In the 2014 polls, both the Congress and NCP fought elections separately and lost all seats. In 2009, the two alliance partners contested four seats each while going to polls.
“We are confident of improving our performance. The party has staked claim on four seats, where we feel the party is on a strong footing,” said Ramesh Bagwe, Congress city unit chief. Besides Kasba peth, Shivajinagar and Cantonment, Congress has also staked claim on Parvati where senior party corporator Aba Bagul is an aspirant.
In Cantonment, Bagwe is in the race to fight polls and is likely to get a ticket, said party sources.
On ground though the Congress party’s strength has reduced, a reflection of which was seen during the 2017 Pune Municipal Corporation elections and 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The party’s tally in PMC during the 2017 civic polls came down to 10 from 29 in 2012. In the recently held Lok Sabha polls, Congress candidate Mohan Joshi lost to Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Girish Bapat by a margin of 3.5 lakh votes. Yet, the number of aspirants have increased to 54 while for NCP, as many as 52 hopefuls have expressed desire to contest polls.
NCP spokesperson Ankush Kakade said that the two alliance partner will sort out issues if there are any as far as Pune is concerned. “We have already decided to fight equal number of seats. It means the decision has already been taken for Pune as well,” said Kakade.
Votes received by candidates in 2014 assembly elections
Cantonment: BJP+Shiv Sena: 71,200
Cong+NCP+MNS: 59,674
Kasba peth:- BJP+Shiv Sena: 83,595
Cong+NCP+MNS: 73,185
Shivajinagar: BJP+Shiv Sena: 71,122
Cong+NCP+MNS: 68,395
Kothrud: BJP+SS:1,37,220
Cong+NCP+MNS: 56,284
Parvati: BJP+SS: 1,22,076
Cong+NCP+MNS: 60,692
Wadgaonsheri: BJP+SS: 1,28,491
Cong+NCP+MNS: 75,806
Sena contesting only on 2 seats
From three seats, the Shiv Sena has come down to contesting two seats in the assembly polls in an alliance with the BJP. Sena members from Pune have asked president Uddhav Thackeray for Hadapsar and Shivajinagar assembly segments, which the party feels will be favourable for them.
