It’s old-timers vs first-timers across Pune

Like in the past, this time too the Assembly elections are all set to see old-timers taking on rivals who are younger, and several of them are even first-timers. In every constituency, there are either veterans in the fray or those who have little or just enough experience of fighting an election.

The oldest hand on the political arena this time is long-time Congress man Balasaheb Shivarkar (63), who is contesting from Hadapsar. This will be his seventh election, having contested his first in 1985. Shivarkar had lost his first election to Vithal Tupe by a wafer-thin margin of 177 votes. In 1990, he avenged his defeat by overcoming another challenge by Tupe with a margin of 22,000 votes.

Shivarkar has contested elections from Parvati and Pune Cantonment constituencies for six times. “This time, it will my seventh election. I have won three times and lost three times,” he says, adding that he relies more on house-to-house campaigning and corner meetings. His biggest margin of victory by 32,000 votes was in 2004. Shivarkar has also served as PWD minister from 1999 to 2004. Besides, he has also been a three-time PMC corporator.

Girish Bapat (63) of the BJP is fighting his fifth election from Kasba Peth. He is the only veteran who has won four consecutive elections without ever losing. In 2009, Bapat defeated Ravindra Dhangekar of MNS by 8,000 votes. Rohit Tilak of the Congress had finished third that year. Dhangekar and Tilak are in the fray once again this time. Bapat, who was denied a Lok Sabha ticket by the BJP that favoured Anil Shirole, initially faced opposition to his candidature from his own party leaders but he shrugs them off. His supporters say the storm has blown over and the party is united now.

Bapat has never served as a minister, but has headed the Public Accounts Committee of the state government. His personal equation with the voters has turned the tide in his favour at every outing. “I share a good equation with my voters. They know I don’t keep them waiting or running around,” he says.

Vinayak Nimhan (51), a close supporter of Narayan Rane, was a Shiv Sainik until he shifted loyalties to the Congress. He has won twice on a Shiv Sena ticket and last time on a Congress ticket. “This is my fourth election,” he says.  Nimhan had defeated Vikas Mathkari of the BJP by over 20,000 votes.  His biggest margin of victory was 40,000 votes when he had contested for the second time. Rumours were rife this time that Nimhan would leave the Congress, but he stayed put.

Nimhan was miffed with the party as he was denied ministership even after a promise from the chief minister. On his winning strategy, he says, “In all three elections, I have relied on door-to-door campaigning and always avoided bhashanbaajis.”

Chandrakant Chhajed (64), another veteran Congress leader, will be fighting his third election. He had earlier won from Bopodi, but is now contesting from Wadgaonsheri, which includes the Bopodi area. Chhajed had won in 1999 and 2004. He was the tourism minister in 2003-04. Last time, the seat was allocated to the Congress’s alliance partner NCP. Chhajed quietly dropped out instead of revolting. Chhajed, who rarely raises his voice, says he is relying on his connect with the masses.

Ramesh Bagwe (60) is contesting his third election. He has won twice — once from Parvati and once from Pune Cantonment (2009), from where he has been fielded once again this time. Bagwe had won by a margin of 37,000 last time. He has served as the minister of state of home from 2009-10. During his tenure, Bagwe was involved in a controversy with the then police commissioner of Mumbai Satyapal Singh.

Vilas Lande (52) of the NCP is contesting for the third time from Bhosari. He had won the last election as Independent as he was denied ticket by the party, which had instead fielded Mangala Kadam. Lande, who was seeking an NCP ticket and was likely to be dumped in favour of his son-in-law Mahesh Landge, was finally preferred by the party in view of his winning potential. Fortunately for him, NCP was upset after Landge sought Sena ticket. “We believe our work in the last five years will speak for us,” says his wife Mohini Lande, former Pimpri-Chinchwad mayor.

Laxman Jagtap (51), better known as the “TDR king”, has changed his loyalties a number of times. After bidding NCP the goodbye, he is this time contesting on a BJP ticket from Chinchwad. Over 10 years ago, Jagtap had first won the Legislative Council election as a rebel. In the 2009 Assembly elections too, he won as a rebel from Chinchwad. However, he lost the recent Lok Sabha elections. While his entry into the BJP has baffled his supporters, Jagtap says he intends to take up the controversial illegal construction issue in Pimpri-Chinchwad with the party’s government at the Centre.

Madhuri Misal (50) of the BJP who had won last time from Parvati has once again been fielded by the party from the same seat.

New to elections but not to politics

BY SUSHANT KULKARNI, ATIKH RASHID & MANOJ MORE

There are first-timers and second timers aplenty in the eight constituencies of Pune city and three seats of Pimpri-Chinchwad. Second timers include those who had tasted defeat in the last elections, but seem determined to make it this time. The first-timers too are confident about their chances and ready to slug it out in the October heat.

In Kothrud Assembly constituency, sitting MLA Chandrakant Mokate of Shiv Sena and the runner-up in the 2009 elections Kishor Shinde of MNS will be facing three first-timers — Umesh Kandhare of the Congress, Baburao Chandere of the NCP and Medha Kulkarni of the BJP. The first-timers feel though it is their first try at the Assembly polls, their experience as corporators will play a key role. Shinde, a sitting corporator, had lost to Mokate by just over 5,000 votes in 2009. While Kulkarni and Chandere too are sitting corporators, Kandhare has been heading the Kothrud wing of the Congress for over 10 years.

“In 2009,  the margin with which I lost was very low. We have identified that we lagged behind in the wards of Medha Kulkarni and Baburao Chandere and some others. But in the 2012 corporation polls, we performed better in these areas due to our sustained efforts,” says Shinde.

NCP’s Chandere, on the other hand, has been a corporator and also chaired the PMC standing committee for two years. He says: “Yes, this is my first Assembly election but the experience of development work I could do during my tenure with the standing committee is on my side. I was accused of focusing more on Kothrud area…but I have defended my case. Public transport is a major concern in the area and it will be my top priority. I will go all out to win the election.”

Congress’s Kandhare says his experience in social work and his reach to the grassroots will ensure his win. “I think being a first timer is not a challenge at all. I have been in active politics for 25 years and for over 12 years I have been heading the Kothrud Congress. My reach among people is my strength. Whenever BJP and Shiv Sena have had differences, Congress has won the seat.”

In Wadgaonsheri, sitting MLA Bapu Pathare and two-time Congress MLA Chandrakant Chhajed face a challenge from three first-timer candidates. These include BJP’s Pune City general secretary Jagdish Mulik, Narayan Galande of the MNS and Shiv Sena’s Sunil Tingare.

Galande says though he is a fresher and hasn’t even contested a municipal election yet, he has done a lot of social work in the constituency and is confident of a win. “Unlike other parties, MNS does not have active factions in the constituency and is committed to its work to ensure my win. Also, in the 2009 Assembly polls, the MNS candidate from Wadgaonsheri had managed to get 29,000 votes.
With the Congress, NCP, Sena and BJP contesting separately, it’s clear that a candidate will not need more than 45,000 to 50,000 votes to win. Thus, we only need about 20,000 votes more than what the party got last time,” he adds.

In Kasba Peth, four-time winner Girish Bapat of the BJP will be taking on the likes of Ravindra Dhangekar of the MNS and Rohit Tilak of the Congress. Both of them had lost to Bapat in 2009. In the same constituency, Deepak Mankar of NCP and Prashant Badhe of Sena are first-timers. In Hadapsar constituency, sitting MLA Mahadev Babar is taking on three-time MLA Balasaheb Shivarkar of the Congress.

The first timers include Chetan Tupe of NCP, Yogesh Tilekar of BJP and Pramod Bhangiri of MNS. In Pune cantonment, sitting MLA Ramesh Bagwe faces challenge from first-timers like Bhagwan Vairat of NCP, Dilip Kamble of the BJP and Ajay Tayde of the MNS.
Parusharam Wadekar, who has contested unsuccessfully in the past on an RPI ticket, has been fielded by the Sena this time. In Parvati seat, first-time MLA Madhuri Misal is up against first-timers Jayraj Landge of the MNS, Sachin Taware of the Sena, Abhay Chhajed of the Congress and Subhash Jagtap of the NCP.

“Yes, I am contesting the Assembly elections for the first time and will leave nothing to chance,” says Chhajed, who heads the Pune Congress.

In Bhosari, two-time sitting MLA Vilas Lande is taking on Mahesh Landge, an Independent, Hanumant Bhosale of the Congress, Eknath Pawar of the BJP and Sachin Chikhale of the MNS. Sulbha Uable of Sena is contesting for the second time. “I have experience of campaigning for my party colleagues. There is confusion among the people after Lande and Landge both jumped in the fray because of which I am better placed,” says Pawar. In Chinchwad seat, sitting MLA Laxman Jagtap will take newcomers like Nana Kate of the NCP, Kailas Kadam of the Congress and Rahul Kalate of the Sena. Kate is a known face in Pimple Saudgar and Rahatni areas while Kalate has a following in Wakad and Thergaon areas.