Pune: Banners Highlighting Maratha Candidate Spark Political Buzz in Kasba Peth Ahead of Polling
Pune:
With just one day left before the state assembly elections, the political atmosphere in Kasba Peth has intensified due to eye-catching banners displayed in the constituency. These banners, featuring the photo of prominent Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil, urge voters to identify and support a Maratha candidate in the election.
The Kasba Peth assembly seat is witnessing a four-cornered contest this time. The Congress has fielded its sitting MLA, Ravindra Dhangekar, while the BJP has once again chosen Hemant Rasane as its candidate. Ganesh Bhokre is in the fray for the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and rebel Congress leader, Kamal Vyavahare, is contesting as an independent candidate.
Interestingly, the Congress, BJP, and MNS candidates belong to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, while Kamal Vyavahare is the only Maratha candidate in the race. This distinction has fuelled speculation that the banners featuring Jarange Patil’s image have been put up in support of Vyavahare.
Voting will take place tomorrow at 7 a.m., with election campaigning having officially ended yesterday at 5 p.m. However, the sudden appearance of these banners just before voting has reignited political discussions across the constituency.
Notably, Manoj Jarange Patil had earlier clarified that he would not field any candidates in the elections. But at the same time, he also appealed to the Maratha community to make wise voting decisions. The banners displaying his photo in the constituency have ignited political discussion in Kasba Peth.
