PCMC bypoll: NCP’s Shraddha Lande secures landslide victory

“Vilas managed to bring all gaonwallahs from different parties together,which ultimately paved the way for Shraddha’s landslide victory,” said an NCP leader.

Vilas is eyeing the next Assembly elections and this win will renew his chances of bagging an NCP ticket.

Vilas said everybody in Bhosari gaonthan seems to have voted for Shraddha. “It is true that voters cutting across party lines voted in favour of Shraddha. As an MLA I did my best. The party workers and leaders worked hard for her victory,” he said.

PCMC officials said at 23,Shraddha is the youngest corporator of PCMC. She has done her Bachelor in Dental Surgery and is currently undergoing internship at a city hospital.

The newly elected corporator said her failure in the last year’s civic elections became her stepping stone to success. “In the 2012 civic elections,I could not submit my caste verification certificate on time and I could not contest the elections. This time,I ensured everything was in order,” she said.

Shraddha said the corporator who had won from the ward in the last year’s elections had to vacate her seat as her caste certificate turned out to be bogus.

Attributing her success to MLA Vilas and Mayor Mohini Lande besides other party leaders,Shraddha said,“My father had worked for years in this ward,which made victory a cakewalk for me,” she said.