Pune: Following the release of Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) candidate list for the upcoming state assembly elections, rifts have started emerging within the coalition.
In Hadapsar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has decided to field its current MLA Chetan Tupe again, a move which has prompted a series of political developments.
The MVA alliance allocated the Hadapsar seat to Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction, and former Pune mayor Prashant Jagtap has been chosen to stand against Tupe, effectively positioning him as Tupe’s primary competitor.
However, this decision has led to discontent within the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), as Shiv Sena UBT's former MLA Mahadev Babar was a hopeful candidate. Both Babar and his supporters had anticipated his selection, even initiating campaigns locally.
With Jagtap’s nomination confirmed, Babar is reportedly preparing to run as an independent. He is expected to address a gathering in Kondhwa, a meeting aimed at consolidating his supporters before he submits his independent nomination.
In parallel, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has announced Sainath Babar as its candidate. With the Mahayuti allocating a seat to Ajit Pawar-led NCP, Shiv Sena's city leader Nana Bhangire is also considering running as an independent candidate.
If both Babar and Bhangire proceed, Hadapsar might witness a unique four-way contest, with two NCP faction candidates and two Shiv Sena faction representatives vying for dominance.
