Pune: BJP’s prospects in Khadakwasla Assembly segment
Pune: The Khadakwasla Legislative Assembly constituency was dominated by the NCP before 2009. Later, the Shiv Sena took over its reins. Now, the BJP has retained it in three consecutive terms.
Equations in the segment depend on whether the BJP would field its incumbent MLA and who would be the candidate from the NCP (SP).
The current scenario
Sitting MLA Bhimrao Tapkir is eyeing the fourth term while former MLA Kumar Gosavi is an aspirant. Aspirants from the BJP include former Deputy Mayor Prasanna Jagtap, Haridas Charvad, Deepak Nagpure and Dilip Vede Patil.
Tapkir got 1,20,518 votes in the Assembly election 2019 and won by a thin margin of 2,595 votes.
Former NCP corporator Sachin Dodke is an aspirant from the NCP (SP). Former corporator Bala Dhanwade, Kaka Chavan, former ZP member Navnath Parge and entrepreneur Rahul Ghule-Patil are other aspirants.
Issues in the constituency
The issues facing the segment include the DP of merged villages, pending gunthewari problem, the highway, bad roads in the merged villages, traffic congestion on internal roads and no PMPML depot on Sinhagad Road.
Public transport has been neglected. Sewage is released into the Khadakwasla Dam by villages located around and upstream. Tourism development of Sinhagad Fort and Khadakwasla has been neglected. Land has not been reserved for public parks and playgrounds in the merged villages.
