Bypoll indicates tough road ahead for BJP, MVA

With MVA putting up a tough fight in what is essentially a BJP stronghold, political parties are now of the view that the upcoming municipal elections too will not be an easy ride for either side

PUNE: With the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) putting up a tough fight in what is essentially a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold, political parties are now of the view that the upcoming municipal elections too will not be an easy ride for either side.

Police personnel outside the strong room in Thergaon, where ballot boxes for Chinchwad bypoll are kept, on Monday. With MVA putting up a tough fight in what is essentially a BJP stronghold, political parties are now of the view that the upcoming municipal elections too will not be an easy ride for either side. (HT)

Having been the dominant party in both the Pune- and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations between 2017 and 2022, the BJP – which returned to power in Maharashtra over six months ago - expected to do much better in the recently held Kasba peth and Chinchwad by-poll. However, the sheer ferocity with which both the MVA and BJP fought this by-election has sent out a clear message to all political parties that the upcoming civic elections will be as challenging if not more.

In his online campaign for the Kasba peth and Chinchwad by-poll, Uddhav Thackeray had said, “If the BJP has confidence, they should announce the municipal elections and citizens will teach them a lesson.”

Whereas Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) city unit president Prashant Jagtap said, “We are preparing for the municipal elections for the last two years but the state government is now delaying it intentionally.”

The civic elections were originally scheduled in March 2022 but have been delayed over other backward castes’ (OBC) reservations.

Meanwhile, BJP city unit president Jagdish Mulik said, “Every election is different. We are ready to face any election. We carried out development works in the last five years. Even citizens believe in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We will definitely win in the municipal elections.”

A senior BJP leader on condition of anonymity said, “It is true that the by-election has imbued confidence in the Congress. Earlier, they had been completely demoralised. Even we must accept that all three components of the MVA demonstrated considerable unity in this by-poll.”