Khadakwasla countdown: NCP,BJP-Sena go all out for a win

The NCP is going all-out to get its candidate Harshada Wanjale elected to the seat it had lost in the previous election to the MNS. The Assembly segment falls in Baramati Lok Sabha constituency represented by Supriya Sule,daughter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar. The NCP shares power at the Centre,state and rules the civic bodies in the district. After Sule’s victory from Baramati,the NCP was confident of getting its candidates elected from all assembly segments in Baramati Lok Sabha constituency. However,the party suffered a setback in the 2009 Assembly polls when it lost the seat to MNS. Ramesh Wanjale,a former Congressman who had sought an NCP ticket,had won as an MNS candidate defeating NCP’s Vikas Dangat-Patil. Wanjale had thus become the first MNS legislator from the NCP bastion.

The NCP managed to rope in Harshada Wanjale,wife of Ramesh Wanjale,to contest the seat that fell vacant after the sudden demise of her husband. The MNS,out of respect for the deceased legislator,decided not to put up a candidate against Harshada.

The balance seems tilted in favour of Harshada but the NCP is not taking any chances. “We should not be overconfident and should work hard to get the NCP candidate elected,” Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar told party leaders at the launch of the poll campaign last week.

At the public rally to launch the campaign,he had appealed people to elect Harshada saying that his party had shared good relations with the Ramesh Wanjale and people should vote for his wife so that development work taken up by the late legislator are carried forward. “The area is represented by Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha and if the seat goes to Harshada,then the party will be able to ensure development of the area with help from the state and the union government,” he had said.

He also said that the saffron combine is contesting only for the sake of putting up an opposition to NCP and not allowing an unopposed election.

The BJP-Shiv Sena-RPI alliance is banking on NCP dissidents denied a ticket because of Harshada,who incidentally represented the Congress in the Pune Zilla Parishad. They are also relying on tacit support of local MNS leaders. “The late Wanjale had contested against NCP and won. People will not accept NCP although they are banking on sympathy votes,” BJP state chief Sudhir Mungantiwar said.

The Shiv Sena had also been insisted on BJP to put up a strong candidate fo the bypoll. Sena leader Neelam Gorhe said the NCP was desperate to win and had roped in Harshada as it could not find a strong local candidate.