Maharashtra Bypolls: Congress's Ravindra Dhangekar Trounces Hemant Rasane To Wrest BJP Bastion Kasba

This is a significant victory for the Congress as the contest was seen as a direct fight between the BJP-Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and rival MVA, following the change in the government in 2022.

Congress workers carry Ravindra Dhangekar on their shoulders in a victory lap outside the counting centre.

Source : PTI

Congress candidate Ravindra Dhangekar defeated rival Hemant Rasane from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday in the bypoll held for Pune’s Kasba Peth Assembly seat, which is considered a stronghold of the BJP.

The saffron party had been in power in the constituency for the past 28 years. The seat was earlier represented by BJP MP Girish Bapat. He represented the constituency five times till 2019. However, the party has now lost the bastion to the Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Nationalist Congress Party, the Congress, and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).

The Maharashtra bypolls were held after incumbent BJP MLAs Mukta Tilak from Kasba and Laxman Jagtap from Chinchwad died earlier. Both constituencies saw an average voter turnout of around 50% in the by-elections that were held on February 26.

BJP leader Mukta Tilak had emerged victorious from the Kasba Peth constituency in 2019. However, her death in December 2022 due to cancer necessitated the bypolls.

Dhangekar got 73,194 votes while Rasane bagged 62,244 votes, as per figures provided by the Election Commission after the final round of counting.

According to news agency ANI, Dhangekar Ravindra Hemraj collected his winning certificate after he won from Kasba Peth assembly.

Maharashtra | MVA candidate (from Congress) Dhangekar Ravindra Hemraj collects his winning certificate as he wins Kasba Peth assembly by-election. pic.twitter.com/ueE5croycL

— ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2023

This is a significant victory for the Congress since the contest was seen as a direct fight between the BJP-Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the rival MVA following a change in the state government in 2022.

Dhanhekar said, “This is people's victory. The day I filled the nomination form, people of Kasba Peth constituency decided to make me victorious.”
 
After the results were made public, Congress workers were carrying him on their shoulders outside the counting centre.

Hemant Rasane of the BJP who lost the seat, said, “Earlier, it used to be a triangular contest, but this time it was a straight fight between the BJP and the Congress.”

Meanwhile, Congress state vice-president Mahona Josshi extended his congratulations to the voters of the Kasba Peth for ensuring the party with such a “historical” win.
 
He remarked, “This is the victory of all the MVA workers who fought this election with great unity. This election has shown that money power cannot work.”

During the campaign phase of the election, the Congress party and other MVA constituents had alleged that the saffron party tried to lure voters with money. However, the BJP had denied all such charges against it.

Both Kasba and Chinchwad seats were a matter of prestige for the Shinde-BJP coalition government and the MVA as party stalwarts like NCP President Shard Pawar, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had gone to campaign for their party and local leaders in the constituency.

Till 6.10 , the BJP was leading in the Chinchwad bypoll.