Pune: As assembly election preparations gather pace in Pune, delays in candidate announcements by the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalitions for several constituencies have fueled speculation of possible realignments and reshuffling among political parties.
Ten days after the election declaration and four days into the nomination period, no candidates have been declared by either coalition for key constituencies, leading political circles to question the underlying strategies at play.
Within the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, Congress has withheld announcements for the Shivajinagar and Cantonment seats, while the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) has postponed naming candidates for Parvati and Khadakwasla.
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) remains undecided for Kothrud, whereas in the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP has only finalized candidates for Kothrud, Shivajinagar, and Parvati constituencies, taking a patient approach for the Kasba, Khadakwasla, and Cantonment seats.
Political insiders attribute this delay to an effort to manage dissent within the ranks, though broader political dynamics are also believed to be influencing decisions.
Speculations:
Despite the NCP announcing a candidate in Wadgaon Sheri, BJP’s Jagdish Mulik reportedly holds onto hopes of a ticket, with talks of a “friendly contest” being discussed for the seat.
BJP member Sunny Nimhan from Shivajinagar is reportedly lobbying for a Congress candidacy, with efforts underway in both Mumbai and Delhi. If Congress sidelines Datta Bahirat, he may join the MNS, potentially displacing current Shivajinagar MNS candidate Ranjit Shirole.
Khadakwasla sees former NCP mayor Datta Dhankawde and BJP’s Vikas Dangat vying for the BJP ticket, though the party is likely to field incumbent MLA Bhimrao Tapkir or Deepak Nagpure.
Disgruntled BJP corporator Amol Balwadkar from Kothrud is rumored to be planning an independent run with the Shiv Sena (UBT) or MNS, reportedly stationed in Mumbai for the past two days.
In Kasba, calls for a Brahmin candidate have surfaced, stirring interest in which candidate the BJP will select for the constituency.
NCP (SP) Ashwini Kadam has shown interest in the Parvati seat, yet Congress has also requested this constituency, with former corporator Aaba Bagul already filing his nomination.