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Rasane and Ashwini Jagtap BJP candidates for Kasba and Chinchwad bypolls, all eyes on MVA
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday announced the names of candidates for the upcoming bypolls in Kasba Peth and Chinchwad Assembly constituencies in Pune amid opposition camp in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) once again huddled in Mumbai to discuss the names of probable nominees
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday announced the names of candidates for the upcoming bypolls in Kasba Peth and Chinchwad Assembly constituencies in Pune amid opposition camp in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) once again huddled in Mumbai to discuss the names of probable nominees.
While it was speculated that the BJP would field a member of the Tilak family in Kasba Peth, the party chose a non-Tilak, and a non-Brahmin face in Hemant Rasane. However, at the same time, BJP fielded late MLA Laxman Jagtap’s wife Ashwini Jagtap from Chinchwad seat in the neighbouring industrial town.
The byelections, scheduled to be held on February 26, were necessitated due to the recent death of sitting BJP MLAs - Mukta Tilak from Kasba Peth and Laxman Jagtap from Chinchwad.
After Rasane’s name was announced by the party, his followers and BJP workers burst firecrackers in the city. Rasane also performed ‘aarti’ at the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple where he is trustee. Talking to reporters later, Rasane said, “Senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tried hard for unopposed elections to these seats, but other parties do not appear to be keen...But I assure you that the BJP will win the bypolls with a record margin.”
Members from the Tilak family had sought party nomination, and some party workers insisted that the Mukta Tilak’s husband Shailesh should be given the opportunity. However, two days ago, the BJP announced Mukta Tilak’s son Kunal as Party spokesperson, indicating that it has different plans.
“BJP is a parivar and we are all united. Last time in 2019 when I was in the race but Muktatai got party ticket, all of us worked for her victory. Similarly, this time too, we are all united to fight these polls even as BJP has chosen my name for nominations,” Rasane said on being asked why party denied ticket to Tilak family member.
Instead of giving ticket to the Tilak family, the BJP preferred to field Rasane from Kasba Peth constituency which largely covers Peth areas from central parts of Pune and has over the years seen massive demographic change with Brahmins reduced to minority here.
Rasane is former standing committee chairman and a three-time corporator since 2002.
He is likely to be locked in a fight against Ravindra Dhangekar of Congress even as the party has not announced its candidate at Kasba Peth till late Saturday evening.
On Friday late evening Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the Kesariwada and met the Tilak family.
Reacting to BJP’s announcement of candidates, Fadnavis in a tweet said, “Wishing all the success to candidates declared by BJP for the by-elections; Shri Hemant Rasane (Kasba Peth Assembly Constituency) and Smt Ashwini tai Jagtap (Chinchwad Assembly Constituency).” In another tweet, he said that since these byelections are being held due to the death of sitting legislators, he would appeal to other parties not to contest elections so that BJP candidates are elected unopposed.
In Chichwad, late MLA Jagtap’s wife Ashwini and brother Shankar were in a race, but the BJP preferred to give the ticket to Ashwini in an attempt to ride on sympathy wave.
On being nominated by BJP, Ashwini Jagtap thanked the party and said, “I will take the legacy of my husband forward and complete his dream of making Chinchwad an ideal city.”
Responding to rumours of rift in the family over Laxman’s brother denied ticket, Ashwini said, “There are no differences within the Jagtap family and we are all united in fighting the elections. Shankarbhau is like my son and he is with us.”
Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an alliance of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, has so far not declared its candidates for the by-elections. Results of these bypolls will be declared on March 2.
Hemant Rasane’s moment to shine
-In its bastion of Kasba, the BJP on Saturday nominated experienced party worker Hemant Rasane as its candidate for the bypoll
-The BJP has given ticket to a non-brahmin candidate after a long time, as Kasba was earlier ruled by MP Girish Bapat for at leas two decades and then was given to Mukta Tilak, who belongs to the family of freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak in 2019
-Rasane is a three-time corporator of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and was elected in 2002, 2012 and 2017
-He was also elected chairman of the PMC standing committee in the last four years. Rasane is the only corporator in PMC to hold the post for so long
-Rasane has received praise for increasing the civic body’s revenue collection.
-He has been associated with the BJP for the past 30 years
-Rasane is also a member of the Shrimant Dagdushet Ganesh Mandal and has worked with the temple for the past 40 years
-Rasane said, “I am glad that the party chose to give the opportunity to a common worker like me who is associated with the BJP for three decades. After the announcement I visited RSS headquarters Motibaug which falls under Kasba Peth assembly, then visited Umaji Naik memorial at Mamaledar Kacheri. I also met MP Girish Bapat and the Tilak family.”
