Journalism of Courage
After an intense contest between the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena and Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi during the recently held Kasba Assembly bypoll, all eyes are now on the likely by-election for the Pune Lok Sabha constituency which was vacated due to the death of sitting MP Girish Bapat last week.
BJP leader Bapat, who was elected in 2019, passed away after a prolonged illness. The BJP had retained the seat in the previous election despite the party refusing a second term to Anil Shirole, who represented the constituency from 2014 to 2019. Prior to that, the seat was represented by Suresh Kalmadi of the Congress for 10 years from 2004 to 2014. The Congress has won the seat in 11 of the 17 elections while the BJP won it four times.
As per the seat share arrangement within the alliances, the seat is contested by the BJP in the saffron combine and Congress in alliance with other parties.
In the Kasba by-elections in February after the death of its sitting legislator Mukta Tilak, the BJP lost its bastion to the Congress in the intensely fought contest.
BJP leader Ujjwal Keskar said the district election officer should send a report to the Election Commission of India (ECI) saying the Pune Lok Sabha seat has got vacant due to the death of Bapat so that the by-election can be declared in the next few months and so that the city can have its representative in Parliament’s Lower House.
Though no BJP leader has openly staked claim to contest from the Pune Lok Sabha constituency, the names of former mayor Murlidhar Mohol, city BJP chief Jagdish Mulik, National Women Wing Vice-President Medha Kulkarni are making rounds. “The decision of candidature is taken by the party and I have not spoken to anyone about myself,” Kulkarni said.
Mulik had come under criticism after banners were put up in the city calling him the future city MP.
On the other hand, Congress is upbeat after its victory in the Kasba bypoll. “We are prepared for the by-election for the Pune Lok Sabha. There was a united front of Congress, the NCP, and Shiv Sena (UBT) during the by-elections for the Kasba seat and the same will be there during that for the Pune Lok Sabha constituency,” said Congress spokesperson Ramesh Iyer.
Iyer said the BJP has lost its main face in Pune after Bapat’s death and has no one who is acceptable across the city.
