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Pune outcome: BJP wins 06, NCP- 02; results mean ruling party has to work harder for city
For the Congress, the results did not change the status quo, as the party failed to win any of the three seats it contested, a key takeaway from the result
In the end, the BJP’s winning moment was sans the joy of a sweepstake win, and for the NCP, it was a mixed bag.
Bharatiya’s Janata Party’s (BJP) victory in six of the eight seats in Pune city this assembly polls, was marred by it ceding ground to its rival, the NCP.
NCP won two seats - Hadapsar and Wadgaonsheri - from the BJP, which had a 100 per cent strike rate during 2014 polls.
For the Congress, the results did not change the status quo, as the party failed to win any of the three seats it contested, a key takeaway from the result.
While BJP won Kothrud, Kasba peth, Pune Cantonment, Khadakwasla, Shivajinagar and Parvati, margins of the winning candidates in most places dropped, which for party workers is a sign of worry; reflected by the party hoarding at the JM road office “We accept verdict offered by Puneites”.
At Kothrud and Parvati, BJP strongholds, the margin of the winning candidates, Chandrakantd Patil and Madhuri Misal, was at 25,495 and 36,767 votes, respectively.
In 2014, BJP’s Medha Kulkarni had won by a margin of 64,000 votes while Misal won from Parvati by 69,000 votes.
“My sense is combination of factors such as recent flash flood, overall traffic mess and ruling dispensation attitude worked against them to some extent. However, at the same time, opposition’s inability to fight strongly could not completely produce desired result for Congress-NCP in Pune,” said Chitra Lele, professor of Political Science, SNDT University.
The latest results mean BJP will have to go address issues of development even more aggressively as it looks to complete some of the project party initiated through Centre, state and civic body, felt observers and local residents.
For Pune, the mix results is good news as the representation for NCP can create pressure on the BJP, which is also ruling the civic body with a firm grip on the city’s developmental projects worth hundreds of crores of rupees.
“It always good to have the opposition winning some seats as they can keep a check on the ruling BJP,” said Vibhitu Deshpande, a resident of Sahakarnagar.
High on confidence, particularly after the recent Lok Sabha win preceded by victory in the 2017 civic polls, BJP’s campaign revolved around improving traffic, infrastructure and other basic issues.
“The BJP has to make a difference in the lives of Puneites, be it through improving day-to-day traffic, curbing illegal construction or infrastructure. The citizens want transparency and accountability and this is where opposition NCP’s role comes into the picture by creating pressure on government,” said RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar.
The BJP leaders accepted the verdict saying they will have to work hard.
“We have been working for the betterment of people here. It’s true we have to work harder and improve the lives of people,” said Pune mayor and BJP’s victorious candidate from Kasba peth Mukta Tilak.
