Pune: BJP aspirants from Kasba Peth, Cantonment and Khadakwsla anxious as suspense grows over candidature

Pune: The BJP announced its first list of 99 candidates for the State Legislative Assembly elections. It has nominated the sitting MLAs in most segments in the city. However, it held back names from the Kasba Peth, Cantonment and Khadakwasla constituencies. This has made the sitting MLAs and aspirants anxious from these segments.

State Minister Chandrakant Patil has been renominated from Kothrud. MLA Siddharth Shirole has been retained in Shivajinagar. Three-time MLA Madhuri Misal has got the party ticket for the fourth time.

Out of the eight segments in Pune, the BJP got six seats in the Maha Yuti: Kothrud, Parvati, Shivajinagar, Pune Cantonment, Khadakwasla and Kasba Peth. The NCP (AP) has Vadgaon Sheri and Hadapsar constituencies. The BJP has not named candidates from Kasba Peth, Cantonment and Khadakwasla constituencies. It has sitting MLAs in Khadakwasla and Catonment.

However, there is opposition from within the party to field these legislators again. Hemant Rasne and Dheeraj Ghate are aspirants from Kasba Peth. The Brahmin community, which has a sizable population in Kasba Peth, has demanded a community member as the BJP candidate.

Rajendra Shilimkar and Shrinath Bhimale are other party aspirants from Parvati. The last date of filing nominations is October 29 while the last date of withdrawal is November 4. It remains to be seen what stance Shilimkar and Bhimale would take.

Bhimale said, “I wanted to contest from the Parvati segment but was not given the candidature. I am not happy with this. I will decide within a couple of days after discussing the issue with workers and voters in my constituency.”