Local NCP (SP) unit recommends party leadership to contest 6 of 8 assembly seats in Pune, but alliance partners not ready to ‘lose’ their strongholds

In the previous assembly election, the NCP won Vadgaon Sheri and Hadapsar assembly segments while the Congress held the Kasba assembly segment.

The Congress had ruled PCMC since it came into being in 1986. First, it single-handedly ruled PCMC and then in alliance with NCP. (express photo)

Riding on the upbeat moral of the party’s performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections and without wasting time, the NCP (SP) is gearing up for the forthcoming assembly elections and is all set to stake claim to six of the eight assembly segments in the city. However, the alliance partners, Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), are likely to challenge it by claiming stake to various assembly constituencies in the city.

The Pune Lok Sabha constituency has six assembly segments — Vadgaonsheri, Pune Cantonment, Parvati, Kasba, Shivajinagar and Kothrud. The Khadakwasla assembly segment of Baramati Lok Sabha constituency and Hadapsar assembly segment of Shirur Lok Sabha constituency fall under the city jurisdiction. In the previous assembly election, the NCP won Vadgaon Sheri and Hadapsar assembly segments while the Congress held the Kasba assembly segment.

“As per the party chief’s directions, we have done a review of the party’s position in all the eight assembly segments and have recommended six considering the strength of the party and condition of winnability,” said city NCP chief Prashant Jagtap.

The list of assembly segments where the NCP(SP) can contest effectively has been submitted to the state unit. Jagtap said, “The final decision on it will be taken by the national and state president of the party.”

The NCP had won Vadgaonsheri and Hadapsar assembly segments in the previous assembly elections, so it was only natural for the party to stake claim to the seat, Jagtap said. Both the sitting NCP legislators have sided with Ajit Pawar. The Congress holds the Kasba seat.

In the Lok Sabha, NCP(SP) won Shirur and Baramati constituencies, so it is confident it will win the Hadapsar and Khadakwasla assembly segments. It had contested Parvati and Kothrud assembly segments but lost to BJP.
The BJP’s performance in the Pune Cantonment and Shivajinagar assembly segments were poor during the Lok Sabha election in Pune. The MVA alliance is likely to win the seats, so all the alliance partners will be keen to contest it.

“The Congress have been contesting the Pune Cantonment and Shivajinagar assembly seat so there is no question of giving it to other alliance partners during the assembly election. We will insist on the party’s leadership not to give up the two seats along with Kasba and Parvati,” said a Congress leader.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) has a strong base in Kothrud, Kasba, Hadapsar and Vadgaonsheri, so its leaders will be pushing the party to contest these seats. “The Shiv Sena (UBT) party workers are rejuvenated to continue the party victory in the election,” said Sena leader.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast. Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste. Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter. Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More

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