Maharashtra Elections: 303 Candidates Compete for 21 Seats in Pune District, Key Contest in Baramati

A total of 303 candidates are set to contest in 21 assembly seats within Pune district. This follows the withdrawal of 179 nominations on the final day of the process, as confirmed by an official. Initially, 482 candidates had submitted their nomination forms. Among the most notable contests is in Baramati, where Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will face his nephew, NCP SP candidate Yugendra Pawar.

In Kothrud, senior BJP leader and state minister Chandrakant Patil will compete against Shiv Sena UBT candidate and former MLA Chandrakant Mokate. Meanwhile, in Parvati, BJP's sitting MLA Madhuri Misal will have a direct contest with NCP SP's Ashwini Jagtap. Congress rebel Ulhas alias Aaba Bagul has also entered the fray, aiming to reclaim what was once a Congress stronghold.

Key Contests and Candidates

In Kasba, BJP's Hemant Rasane will challenge Congress's sitting MLA Ravindra Dhangekar. In Vadgaon Sheri, NCP MLA Sunil Tingre faces NCP SP candidate Bapusaheb Pathare. Shivajinagar sees BJP's sitting MLA Siddhart Shirole against Congress's Datta Bahirat. The Pune cantonment constituency features a contest between sitting MLA Sunil Kamble and Congress leader Avinash Bagve.

Harshavardhan Patil, who left BJP for Sharad Pawar-led NCP SP, is contesting against sitting NCP MLA Dattatray Bharne in Indapur. In Hadapsar, NCP's Chetan Tupe is up against NCP SP candidate Prashant Jagtap. Bagul stated his candidacy aims to challenge BJP rather than affect MVA's main candidate NCPSP Ashwini Kadam.

Rebel Candidates and Their Stance

Bagul expressed his desire for Congress support despite being urged by senior leader Balasaheb Thorat to withdraw his nomination. He remains firm on contesting, stating, "I still urge Congress leadership to support my candidature here and rally behind me." In Kasba, Vyavhare contests as a rebel against Congress's Dhangekar and BJP's Rasane.

Vyavhare shared her confidence: "I have got good support in Kasba and I am sure I will get people's support here." She avoided calls from Congress leadership on the last withdrawal day to maintain her decision to run. Similarly, Manish Anand in Shivajinagar stands firm as a Congress rebel against BJP's Shirole and official candidate Bahirat.

The Maharashtra assembly polls are scheduled for November 20, with results expected on November 23.