The polling which was reported at 50 per cent has also kept everyone guessing about the results. (Express/File)All eyes are set on the much-awaited outcome of the Kasba Assembly bypoll Thursday which is likely to define the political discourse in the state and may have an impact on the Maharashtra elections next year. The polling which was reported at 50 per cent has also kept everyone guessing about the results.
It is the first election that the ruling and Opposition alliances are facing after the formation of the new government. Political parties, mainly the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, made the Kasba bypoll a prestige issue and put in all efforts to win the seat. The bypoll for the Kasba seat was necessitated due to the death of sitting BJP legislator Mukta Tilak.
The by-election, held on February 26, is also being considered to be crucial in the backdrop of the toppling of Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) last year. The revolt in the Shiv Sena followed by the formation of the new government in alliance with the BJP, as well as the Election Commission of India (ECI) allotting the symbol and party name to the Shinde faction instead of Thackeray’s, has intensified the ongoing political tussle.
Thus, Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with state and Union ministers carried out intense campaigning for BJP candidate Hemant Rasane. “The Kasba bypoll is very important for us in the current political situation. This is the reason the election is closely tracked by the chief minister and deputy chief minister even on the polling day,” said a BJP leader.
“We are confident of winning the seat as the loyal BJP voters continue to trust the party and its leadership,” said BJP candidate Hemant Rasane.
The Congress, on the other hand, is banking on the popularity of its candidate Ravindra Dhangekar and the united front along with the NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT) as they worked together in the election campaign. “The MVA alliance partners jointly campaigned for Dhangekar. We have full trust in voters and are confident of winning the polls. The BJP adopted all wrong methods to defeat us but the voters will prove them wrong,” said Dhangekar.
The Congress is taking all possible steps to ensure there is no wrongdoing during the counting of votes. “We will depute sufficient representatives during counting,” said city Congress chief Arvind Shinde.