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After Kasba win, MVA eyes civic poll victory
The Kasba assembly results in which Congress nominee Ravindra Dhangekar defeated BJP’s Hemant Rasane has offered a booster for MVA which is eyeing to wrest power from BJP in Mumbai, Pune and other municipal corporations
Pune: Though the Kasba Peth bypoll results is limited to one assembly constituency, it has the potential to leave its reflection on the changing political situation and shape up perceptions ahead of upcoming municipal elections.
The Kasba assembly results in which Congress nominee Ravindra Dhangekar defeated BJP’s Hemant Rasane has offered a booster for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which is eyeing to wrest power from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Mumbai, Pune and other municipal corporations.
The Congress registered its victory in Kasba Peth despite the seat being in BJP’s kitty for three decades.
In the immediate future, the victory in Kasba may hold back leaders planning to switch over to the BJP from the MVA camp, said a Congress leader, adding that if all three parties contest polls unitedly, they can pose a strong challenge in the upcoming elections post the outcome from Kasba and Chinchwad bypolls.
BJP spokesperson Sandeep Khardekar said, “Each election is different. We have a strong cadre base. It is true that we lost the assembly election in Kasba but we will introspect and rectify our shortcomings in the next election.” Khardekar pointed out that though there was anti-incumbency against the BJP in Kasba, it enjoys goodwill elsewhere among voters.
The elections in 14 municipal corporations were scheduled in March 2022, before it was delayed due to OBC reservation issues, and subsequent change in regime in the state.
NCP city unit president Prashant Jagtap said, “The Kasba by-election has given a clear message that voters are unhappy with the BJP. Despite Kasba being their base, voters defeated them. Definitely it will help us in municipal election. If the three constituents of MVA remain united, we will certainly register victory in the municipal and other elections.”
The BJP had registered a historic win in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations in 2017. The party wants to replicate the performance in both the civic bodies whose collective annual budget is more than ₹10,000 crore.
In Chinchwad, though the BJP won the by-election, independent candidate Rahul Kalate helped the party in retaining the seat as he ate into rival camp’s votes. If Kalate’s vote had gone to MVA, NCP’s Nana Kate may have won against BJP’s Ashwini Jagtap.
“It is a clear signal that if there is a straight fight in municipal corporation elections, the MVA will be a big challenge and even win the polls,” said Ajit Pawar, leader of Opposition.
Many believe that BJP’s performance in the municipal corporation has not been satisfactory. Despite having absolute majority in the municipal corporation, it failed to do effective work.
The BJP has traditionally enjoyed popular voter base in Kasba and Kothrud assembly constituencies. With the Congress winning the Kasba constituency, BJP’s stronghold in various areas in Pune has reduced. Even in Kothrud, despite senior BJP leader and the then state president Chandrakant Patil being candidate in 2019 assembly polls, party had to take a lot of efforts to register victory.
The MVA has over the years created good base in other assembly constituencies like Hadapsar, Vadgaon Sheri, Khadakwasla and Cantonment. While Parvati and Shivajinagar assembly constituencies are with BJP, MVA too has made inroads here.
Considering all these equations, the Kasba bypoll elections would make great impact on the BJP. These elections have boosted the confidence of MVA and left the BJP to chalk out their political strategies.
