Pune: NCP (AP) MLA Chetan Tupe faces challenges in Hadapsar

Pune: NCP (AP) MLA Chetan Tupe who is contesting from the Hadapsar Assembly segment is facing challenges as he tried to join the NCP (SP) till the last moment.

All corporators from his area, Magarpatta-Sadesatra Nali-Mundhwa, are now in the NCP (SP). The Hadapsar segment has a large number of Muslim and Dalit voters. His opponent Prashant Jagtap belongs to the NCP (SP). This has made matters worse for Tupe.

The scenario in the constituency has become clear after the last date of withdrawal of nominations. It is a triangular contest among sitting MLA Tupe, Jagtap and MNS candidate Sainath Babar. Most of the corporators from the Hadapsar area sided with Sharad Pawar after the vertical split in the NCP.

Moreover, other leaders such as Bandu Gaikwad, Hemlata Nilesh Magar, Kodre from the ward represented by Tupe also preferred to join the NCP (SP). Earlier, most of the Shiv Sena corporators from the area supported the Shiv Sena (UBT).

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) emerged successful in the Lok Sabha elections. Chetan Tupe who decided to go with the Ajit Pawar faction faced a dilemma and was trying to join the NCP (SP) till the last moment. But the party imposed its faith in Prashant Jagtap, who remained loyal to Sharad Pawar and worked as the party’s city unit President during its trying times. Jagtap proved his leadership qualities by dissuading other aspirants from becoming adversaries and took them along. He also succeeded in persuading a rebel candidate from the Shiv Sena (UBT), who withdrew his nomination on the last date of withdrawal. This has added to challenges before Chetan Tupe.