City seat acquires a battle royale status

PUNE, Aug 20: Sharp division coupled with prolonged suspense over selection of candidates has added a new dimension to the battle for the...

PUNE, Aug 20: Sharp division coupled with prolonged suspense over selection of candidates has added a new dimension to the battle for the Pune Lok Sabha seat. That the seat has acquired a prestige point can be gauged from the fact that three top national leaders of the BJP had to intervene to resolve the fracas in the local unit here.

While there was an instant uproar in the BJP after announcement of the candidacy of Anna Joshi forcing his replacement by Pradeep Rawat, the Congress too seems to be holding on to its cards vis-a-vis the candidate’s selection. For Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Pune constituency is by far the most crucial since it’s part of Pawar’s home district.

The BJP, probably for the first time in its history, had to change its candidate following widespread resentment in the party rank and file. Senior leader Anna Joshi’s name was unceremoniously removed by top three party leaders including Atal Behari Vajpayee, L K Advani and Kushabhau Thakre.

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Party sources admitted that the entire episode has sent a wrong signal to the electorate and apprehend that it might even backfire. A staunch Rawatsupporter remarked that party would have to win the seat at any cost since Rawat’s defeat would dent the image of the top leaders.

For Congress too, the Pune seat has its significance especially with the return of Suresh Kalmadi to the party fold and the formation of NCP by Pawar. Kalmadi, who was mauled badly in the last Lok Sabha election, has his clout in the city at stake. The Congress will in all probability like to retain the Pune seat “in order to give Pawar a befitting reply.”

As the battle is being fought on his home turf, Pawar is reportedly sparing no efforts in getting his nominee Vitthal Tupe re-elected. The victory is a must for Pawar, especially due to the involvement of his friend-turned-foe Suresh Kalmadi. It may noted here that Pawar had played a very crucial role in the last Lok Sabha election in ensuring Kalmadi’s defeat by Tupe.

Except the NCP, the damage has already been done to both the BJP and the Congress. The two-day drama at BJP office has already disturbed party’s traditional vote bank while the delay in releasing the list of candidates including that for Lok Sabha has upset the calculations of the aspirants. Congress leaders fear that the party was in for trouble similar to that of the BJP after the release of the candidates’ list.