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Ruling parties appeal to MVA to not field their candidates in bypolls, opposition hellbent on contesting
keeping with the ‘Maharashtra tradition’ of electing a candidate unopposed in case of death of any sitting MLA, the opposition rejected the proposal saying its candidates will file nomination papers on Monday
Even as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena (Shinde camp) made renewed attempts with an appeal to Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) not to field their candidates for bypolls at Kasba Peth and Chinchwad assembly constituencies, keeping with the ‘Maharashtra tradition’ of electing a candidate unopposed in case of death of any sitting MLA, the opposition rejected the proposal saying its candidates will file nomination papers on Monday.
The BJP has announced the candidature of three-term corporator Hemant Rasane from Kasba Peth and Ashwini Jagtap, widow of Laxman Jagtap, from Chinchwad. Following the announcement on Saturday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde called up key MVA leaders Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil and Congress state unit chief Nana Patole, requesting them not to field their candidates against BJP in two constituencies going for polls on February 26 and let the BJP candidates be elected unopposed. BJP state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray too appealed opposition through a post on social media to allow election to be unopposed by not fielding the candidates.
“The CM had made efforts but it’s already late. Our candidate will file nomination papers on Monday in Kasba Peth assembly segment,” said Patole.
The Congress is expected to field Ravindra Dhangekar, who gave a tough fight to BJP candidate Girish Bapat in the 2009 and 2014 elections. Pune BJP leaders believe that defeating Dhangekar will not be easy for BJP candidate Rasane, although both enjoy a good rapport with the constituency’s voters. Besides Dhangekar, city Congress unit chief Arvind Shinde is also aspiring to contest polls.
The Pune unit of the BJP is also apprehensive about infighting within the unit, as there were many aspirants vying for the seat: besides Rasane, there was Mukta Tilak’s husband Shailesh Tilak, as well as Ganesh Bidkar and Dhiraj Ghate.
Congress candidate will first perform aarti at Kasba Peth ganpati before filing papers, Patole said. The BJP candidates will also file their nomination papers on Monday.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar said while BJP is appealing for unopposed election, it has previously not followed the tradition. The NCP, which is planning to contest bypolls at Chinchwad where its candidate will file nomination papers on Monday, which is the last day of submitting papers.
“I have appealed NCP and Congress leaders to rethink and not to fight the polls keeping with the tradition of our state by electing a candidate unopposed in case of death of any sitting MLA,” said Shinde earlier in the day.
Congress leader Balasaheb Dabhekar said that he will contest polls as an independent if he is denied ticket by the party.
The MVA is expected to announce its decision on whether the Chinchwad seat will be fought by the Shiv Sena (UBT) or NCP by Monday. The NCP will, in all probability, field Rahul Kalate who did very well in the 2019 election as an independent and as a Sena candidate in the 2014 assembly polls against Laxman Jagtap.
As MNS Chief Raj Thackeray put it in a letter, electing a candidate picked from the family of a deceased MLA has been the political tradition in the state. “The BJP responded positively to such an appeal during the Andheri East by-poll and withdrew its candidate,” said the letter. “Now the MVA has the opportunity to show its political maturity by not fielding candidates in the two bypolls.”
AAP to contest Kasba Peth bypolls
Aam Admi Party has indicated that it will fight bypolls in Kasba Peth and Chinchwad assembly segments. The party leaders were busy conducting interviews of aspirants on Sunday.
