Pune: The suspense around the Khadakwasla and Pune Cantonment Assembly constituencies has deepened as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has yet to announce the names of the current MLAs in these areas.
In Khadakwasla, sitting BJP MLA Bhimrao Tapkir faces considerable internal opposition within the party. Local corporators have held meetings expressing their dissatisfaction, arguing that if the party wants to retain the Khadakwasla seat, they should refrain from nominating the current MLA.
Meanwhile, former Pune mayor Dattatray Dhankawade, currently with Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has expressed his desire to contest from Khadakwasla.
His entry has added tension within the BJP’s Mahayuti alliance. In the 2019 elections, the BJP managed a narrow victory in this constituency.
In the Pune Cantonment constituency, there is growing discontent within the party ranks about the repeated nominations of the Kamble brothers. Sunil Kamble narrowly won the last election, but the party faced a setback in the recent Lok Sabha elections from this area.
Amidst the uncertainty, there is speculation about whether the BJP will hand over these two constituencies to allies within the Mahayuti alliance or sideline the current MLAs. The exclusion of these MLAs’ names from the candidate list has sparked debates within political circles.
In the Kasba Assembly constituency, a poster war has broken out among those seeking the nomination. Former Standing Committee Chairman Hemant Rasane is interested in contesting again, while city president Dheeraj Ghate has also made his claim. Supporters of both have been actively sharing posters on social media to garner support.
Following their loss in the Kasba by-election, the BJP has begun preparations to reclaim the constituency. Despite the defeat, Hemant Rasane was assigned the role of election head.
In this capacity, he has worked on resolving local issues and increasing public engagement through various programs. Meanwhile, city president Dheeraj Ghate continues to push for the nomination. Kunal Tilak has also expressed interest in the Kasba seat.