Maharashtra: MVA-powered Congress ends BJP’s 28-year reign in Kasba

The Congress, in association with the Maha Vikas Aghadi partners, has claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party's traditional stronghold of Kasba Peth Assembly segment in Pune which went to by-poll on February 26. However, in the neighbouring Chinchwad bypoll, the BJP retained the seat beating the MVA candidate in a triangular contest.

BJP'S Ashwini Jagtap beat Nationalist Congress Party's Nana Kate with a margin of over 40,000 votes. Independent Rahul Kalate finished third but ate into a sizeable share of the MVA. Both results were declared on Thursday in a competitive atmosphere that had its genesis in a fierce campaign and allegations of malpractice from both sides. Making it a matter of prestige, the BJP had put in all possible efforts in both segments, especially in Kasba Peth, where the MVA had promised to turn the tide.

Nearly 3-decade reign

The BJP held Kasba Peth for 28 years. The constituency needed to elect a new MLA following the death of sitting member Mukta Tilak. The decision to deny Tilak's family a party ticket gave rise to resentment in the party circles, especially the Brahmin community, which had its member as representative for around three decades. On the one hand, Jagtap was fielded after her MLA husband died, but the same wasn't done for the Tilak family.

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole with party workers celebrates the party's win in Kasba Peth Assembly bypoll, at Tilak Bhavan in Mumbai, Thursday. Pic/PTI

Still, the resentment among BJP supporters in Kasba was somehow minimised because trends showed that the party candidate polled more in Brahmin-dominated areas. One of the Brahmin candidates who heads a Hindu organisation lost his security deposit. The small lead given by the Brahmin-dominated booths could not beat MVA's collective effort that helped Congressman Ravindra Dhangekar to post a victory with a 11,040-vote margin over BJP's Hemant Rasane.

Also Read: Maha Assembly: Patole claims Cong's victory in Kasba bypoll; Fadnavis says both BJP, Cong need to introspect

Senior MVA leaders welcomed the Kasba win and attributed it to their unity. Ajit Pawar (NCP) said he had a feeling of "thodi khushi thoda ghum", but added that the Kasba triumph was an indication of what was in store for the BJP in future. It happened despite a heavy campaign by the CM and Dy CM, he said, observing that an (NCP) rebel Kalate's candidature changed the Chinchwad result, and that, it could have been in the MVA's favour in a straight contest (like Kasba Peth) if the votes polled together by NCP's official nominee and the rebel were considered. Uddhav Thackeray said if the voters in Kasba could escape the illusion that prevailed there for many years, the rest of the country too would find its way out soon.

The Kasba victory found resonance in the Assembly when the state Congress president Nana Patole who, after celebrating the victory outside the house, asked the Speaker to make seating arrangements for the party's new MLA. To this, Speaker Rahul Narvekar said Patole was his predecessor and knows the procedure by which the election commission informs the legislature about the new members. "Once it happens, I will make a seat available for new members," Narvekar said.

Deputy Chief Minister (Dy CM) Devendra Fadnavis, who was also present in the House, used the opportunity to tickle Patole. While congratulating Patole, he said his party has accepted the result. "You see, the time has come for the Congress to stand up and tell about the win. The Congress has to be happy with a rare victory. It is seen nowhere in other constituencies. So, you should introspect a bit, and the BJP too will," he stated further.