To improve poll performance, Mahayuti members likely to exchange Pune city seats among selves

This time around, the local BJP unit here has openly opposed campaigning if sitting NCP legislator Sunil Tingre is fielded by the Mahayuti in the assembly elections.

At present, five seats are represented by the BJP, two by the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and one by Congress. (File photo)

As top leaders of the ruling Mahayuti continue with their closed door meetings on seat-sharing for the upcoming assembly elections, speculation is rife that alliance partners will exchange 8 of the city’s seats with each other in an effort to improve their performance when compared to the recent Lok Sabha elections.

There are eight assembly seats in the city — Pune Cantonment, Shivajinagar, Vadgaonsheri, Parvati, Kasbapeth, Kothrud, Khadakwasla and Hadapsar. At present, five seats are represented by the BJP, two by the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and one by Congress.

Vadgaonsheri has a strong BJP presence but it had lost to the NCP in 2014 by a narrow margin. This time around, the local BJP unit here has openly opposed campaigning if sitting NCP legislator Sunil Tingre is fielded by the Mahayuti in the assembly elections. “Tingre recently faced allegations of his involvement in protecting the accused in a high profile hit and run case. Thus, the BJP has insisted NCP exchange the seat and in return take Khadakwasla assembly seat, which is part of the Baramati Lok Sabha seat where Sunetra Pawar had got considerable votes during the Lok Sabha elections,” said a BJP leader.

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In Hadapsar assembly seat, NCP got less votes during the Lok Sabha elections. Shiv Sena has shown interested in contesting the seat, citing its strong support base that made it win the seat in 2009. “Going by the seat-sharing formula that those representing the seat will contest it again will not leave any seat for Shiv Sena as it does not have any sitting legislator. If the party base has to be retained then the Shiv Sena will have to contest the assembly elections in the city and Hadapsar is the strongest seat for the party,” said city Shiv Sena chief Nana Bhangire.

The NCP is likely to stake claim over Shivaijinagar seat citing its support base and strong local leadership.

Incidentally, the BJP had put up a poor performance in Shivajinagar assembly during the Lok Sabha elections.

“The NCP will not leave give up its stake to the Vadgaonsheri and Hadapsar seats as the party has sitting legislators, which means it has a strong base here. It is also true that the party has a strong base in other assembly seats and if given an opportunity, it is ready to contest,” said Pradeep Deshmukh, executive chief of Pune city NCP.

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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