Pune varsity gets set for poll analysis

These will be some of the questions to which the Department of Political Science,University of Pune...

* Did strategic voting,whereby voters vote to defeat a particular party or candidate,play a role in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections?
* Did the economic situation affect the voting pattern?
* What impact did the terror attacks and fear psychology have on people’s selection of candidate/party?

These will be some of the questions to which the Department of Political Science,University of Pune (UoP) will seek answers in its post-poll analysis for the state,entrusted to it by the Centre of Developing Societies (CSDS) New Delhi and the UGC.

And while the polls are still a month away and the results another month,hectic work is afoot at the department to identify the size and composition of the sample respondents and impart training to the 50-odd volunteers who will be undertaking the survey. The department has been involved in the Lok Sabha election analysis since 1996.

While our investigations begin immediately after the results are announced and completed within a week,usually we do enough groundwork before that to be able to give an initial analysis within 24 hours of the results. A complete report is compiled in the next 15 days after taking into account inputs from other sates, said Dr Suhas Palshikar,head of the department and co-director of the programme on the national level.

While Palshikar will oversee the project,its Rajeshwari Deshpande,reader at the UoP,and Nitin Birmal,lecturer at Dr Ambedkar College,Yerawada,who will be working on it hands-on along with project supervisor Vivek Ghotale. The post-poll surveys are also used for long-term analysis by political science students as they throw up interesting facets of Indian polity, Deshpande said.

For instance,in 2004 we found a huge difference in the voting pattern for the Congress in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. In fact,had the UPA not been in power at the Centre,the Congress-NCP combine may have well lost the elections. Based on this,we could study aspects like the effect of coalitions or shifting of support base in the classrooms, Palshikar said.

With about 1,500-2,000 respondents chosen randomly from voters across all socio-economic strata in the state,a three-day training programme is imparted to volunteers. They will then be armed with an exhaustive questionnaire of at least 50 questions.

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We are not into predictions really but we will be looking keenly at Sharad Pawar’s strategies and the number of seats he is able to capture,given the emergence of the third front. The Congress has lost a lot of its support base with the Maratha votes being fragmented over the years. Also it’s doubtful that the BJP-Shiv Sena will be able to make an impact in the state,” Deshpande said.

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More

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