After Kasba loss, BJP on course correction mode, gears up to retain other Pune seats

In 2019, the BJP had won six of the eight Assembly seats in Pune city. However, the party had won three seats – Khadakwasla, Pune Cantonment and Shivajinagar -- by a narrow margin.

Congress candidate Ravindra Dhangekar won the Kasba assembly seat in the BJP bastion. (Express Photo by Pavan Khengre)

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The loss of the Kasba Assembly seat, a party bastion, will put pressure on five of the eight BJP legislators in Pune city to retain their seats in the 2024 Assembly elections.

In 2019, the BJP had won six of the eight Assembly seats, which included Shivajinagar, Kasba Peth, Pune Cantonment, Parvati, Kothrud and Khadakwasla, while losing Vadgaosheri and Hadapsar Assembly seats to NCP. It had won all eight seats in 2014.

Also Read | Kasba bypoll: Why BJP’s Hemant Rasane lost? These two wards tell the tale

“We are introspecting the outcome of the by-election in the bastion of Kasba so that necessary steps would be taken to make correction,” BJP candidate Hemant Rasane said after his defeat to Congress’s Ravindra Dhangekar on Thursday.

Rasane lost by over 10,000 votes in the bypoll that was necessitated due to the death of sitting Kasba legislator Mukta Tilak. The Kasba seat had been a BJP bastion for 28 years and its loss is likely to rankle the party as it had won the seat with a massive margin of 28,196 votes in the previous election.

Accepting defeat, guardian minister Chandrakant Patil said, “We will work more and win the seat next time.”

The BJP is likely to get into election mode now and gear up for the 2024 Assembly elections. Though it won six of the eight Assembly seats in 2019, the BJP had won three seats by a narrow margin. In 2019, BJP’s Bhimrao Tapkir had won the Khadakwasla seat with a margin of 2,595 votes, beating Sachin Dodke of NCP. Sunil Kamble of BJP had defeated Congress leader Ramesh Bagawe by 5,012 votes in Pune Cantonment and Siddharth Shirole had made it to the Assembly by defeating Datta Bahirat of Congress by 5,124 votes in Shivajinagar.

Patil, who was elected from the Kothrud Assembly seat in 2019, had won with a margin of 25,495 votes by defeating Kishor Shinde of MNS. His victory margin was less than the 28,196 votes the BJP polled in the Kasba Assembly constituency.

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“The BJP will have to put extra efforts in Shivajinagar, Pune Cantonment and Khadakwasla Assembly. There was unrest in Kothrud Assembly in 2019 after sitting legislator Medha Kulkarni was denied candidature by BJP for Patil but the voters stood by BJP then. If the voters decide to follow Kasba, the BJP will be in trouble,” said a BJP worker.

In Parvati, the BJP had won with a lead of 36,767 votes in 2019 but it cannot take the next elections casually here in the backdrop of the Kasba bypoll defeat.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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