Maharashtra: BJP names candidates for bypolls to two Assembly seats in Pune

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday announced the names of candidates for the upcoming bypolls to Kasba Peth and Chinchwad Assembly constituencies in Pune district of Maharashtra.

While it nominated Hemant Rasane from Kasba Peth constituency in Pune city, it fielded Ashwini Jagtap from Chinchwad seat in neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad township.

The byelections, scheduled to be held on February 26, were necessitated due to the recent death of sitting BJP MLAs - Mukta Tilak from Kasba Peth and Laxman Jagtap from Chinchwad. Ashwini Jagtap is the wife of late Laxman Jagtap.


After Rasane's name was announced by the party, his followers and BJP workers burst firecrackers in the city. Rasane also performed 'aarti' at the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple.

Talking to reporters later, Rasane said, "Senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tried hard for unopposed elections to these seats, but other parties do not appear to be keen...But I assure you that the BJP will win the bypolls with a record margin," Rasane told reporters.

In a tweet, Fadnavis said, "Wishing all the success to candidates declared by BJP for the by-elections; Shri Hemant Rasane (Kasba Peth Assembly Constituency ) and Smt Ashwini tai Jagtap (Chinchwad Assembly Constituency)."

In another tweet, he said that since these byelections are being held due to the death of sitting legislators, he would appeal to other parties not to contest elections so that BJP candidates are elected unopposed.

Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an alliance of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, has so far not declared its candidates for the byelections. Results of these bypolls will be declared on March 2.