Bypolls: BJP offers to change candidate; Congress fields Ravindra Dhangekar

“The last day of the filing nomination is Tuesday and if the MVA insists on the candidate from the Tilak family, we are ready to change the candidate. We believe that there should not be an election held as the term of the Assembly is about one year,” BJP’s state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said.

Mumbai: Congress on Monday announced Ravindra Dhangekar as its candidate from the Kasba Peth constituency for the upcoming bypolls scheduled on February 26. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) again appealed to the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to let their candidate be elected unopposed in the elections.

After BJP announced the candidature of Hemant Rasane as its candidate from Kasba Peth, posters expressing discontent in the Brahmin community emerged in parts of Pune. The posters, put up in the name of an anonymous voter, say that the Brahmins were systematically being isolated from the city. (HT PHOTO)

BJP’s state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that if the MVA wants the candidate to be changed, they are ready for it. “The last day of the filing nomination is Tuesday and if the MVA insists on the candidate from the Tilak family, we are ready to change the candidate. We believe that there should not be an election held as the term of the Assembly is about one year,” he added.

For the Chinchwad seat, Shiv Sena (UBT) has withdrawn its claim. “It has been decided that NCP will contest bypolls from the seat,” said a senior NCP leader. The opposition leader Ajit Pawar held a meeting to decide the party’s candidate for the constituency in Pimpri-Chinchwad on Monday evening.

After BJP announced the candidature of Hemant Rasane as its candidate from Kasba Peth, posters expressing discontent in the Brahmin community emerged in parts of Pune. The posters, put up in the name of an anonymous voter, say that the Brahmins were systematically being isolated from the city.

The banner was put up in the backdrop of Shailesh Tilak – husband of deceased Mukta Tilak – who was denied a ticket by the BJP.

The ruling party is apprehensive about the victory in Kasba Peth bypoll because of the various aspects. “Dhangekar, who belongs to the OBC community, has a very good rapport with the electorate and had given a tough time to BJP candidates in the 2009 and 2014 elections. Against the backdrop of the banners and the reaction on social media by the members of the Brahmin community, we may find it difficult to win the seat. Secondly, if the Congress received support from the other two constituents of MVA, we may find it difficult to retain the seat which we have been winning for decades,” said a senior BJP leader.

The leader said that the party chose Rasane over Tilak due to the winnability chances. “In our internal survey, Rasane scored more on winnability parameters,” he said, adding that the BJP’s announcement to change the candidate has come out of fear.

After Rasane filed the nomination, BJP held a show of strength in Pune. Senior leaders such as Chandrakant Patil and Chandrashekhar Bawankule also participated in it. However, members of Mukta Tilak’s family were absent indicating their unhappiness for denying the opportunity to contest the bypolls.

Congress, too, held a march on Monday after Dhangekar filed his nomination. It was joined by senior leaders such as Nana Patole, Ashok Chavan, Sushil Kumar Shinde, etc.

Tuesday is the last day for filing nominations.