Polls in 11 seats on Monday; downpour may dampen turnout

Eleven parliamentary constituencies in north and western Maharashtra will go to polls on Monday in the fourth phase of polls with the metrological department predicting unseasonal rains at almost all the constituencies

Mumbai: Eleven parliamentary constituencies in north and western Maharashtra will go to polls on Monday in the fourth phase of polls. The metrological department has predicted unseasonal rains at almost all the constituencies. “We have had heavy rains on Saturday. If it rains on Monday, it will be lead to reduction in poll percentage,’’ said an election officer in Pune.

Volunteers carry Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) inside a distirbution centre in Beed (REUTERS)

Speaking to Hindustan Times, state chief electoral officer S Chockalingam said, “All our polling stations are in pucca sheds except some 15 in the Hadapsar area of Pune which are temporary structures. I have told officers to ensure they are elevated and waterproofing measures are taken. The major challenge is in godowns which are receiving centres of EVMs. I have asked officers to put plastic sheets on all the receiving stations where EVMs will be stored.” He admitted that there was a delay in sending EVMs to some polling stations in Shiroor.

Some of the big fights are in Beed where former minister Pankaja Gopinath Munde of BJP is fighting Bajrang Sonawane of NCP (SP) and Pune where former mayor Murlidhar Mohol of BJP is locking horns with sitting MP Ravindra Dhangekar of Congress. In Raver, Rakhsha Khadse of BJP is facing Shriram Pawar of NCP (SP). Her father-in-law Eknath Khadse who had jumped to NCP (SP) is now openly campaigning for her and is claiming that he is joining the BJP soon.

Sambhajinagar aka Aurangabad is a place where there will be a three-cornered fight with Sandipan Bhumre of Shiv Sena, Chandrakant Khaire of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Imtiyaaz Jaleel of AIMIM. In Maval area of Pune district, Shrirang Barne of Shiv Sena is pitted against Sanjog Waghere of Shiv Sena (UBT).

In Ahmednagar, MLA Nilesh Lanke had switched over from Ajit Pawar camp to Sharad Pawar. Lauded for his work during the pandemic, he is fighting Sujay Vikhe Patil of BJP who is also the son of minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.

Jalna in Marathwada was the hub of the Maratha agitation. Union minister of state Raosaheb Danve is locked in a contest with Kalyan Kale of Congress there.

Shirdi in northern Maharashtra will see a fight between Bhausaheb Wakchaure of Shiv Sena UBT and Sadhashiv Lokhande of Shiv Sena. The polling percentage in the last three phases has been low and a team of the Election Commission led by deputy election commissioner Hridesh Kumar who visited Mumbai on Friday expressed concern. They have told officials in the state to create more awareness among voters in the fourth and fifth phase. Since the campaign for the fourth phase ended on Saturday evening, most of the leaders will now concentrate on campaigning in Mumbai for May 20 polls.