6 days Ago By Sarang Dastane
Pune: It's 10am. Shops and commercial offices in and around Appa Balwant Chowk have not yet opened, but Congress candidate and sitting MLA Ravindra Dhangekar's campaign office located in this chowk is already crowded with party workers and citizens. They wait for him to arrive and decide the day's plan while several citizens want Dhangekar to listen to their problems.
Known among his supporters as ‘aapla manus', Dhangekar is contesting for the second time from Kasba Peth constituency against BJP's Hemant Rasne. He won the bypoll in 2023 but lost the Lok Sabha poll in May 2024. Local sources said it is a fierce contest this time.
Dhangekar wants to repeat his famous 2023 victory and Rasne hopes to wrest the seat which was with the BJP for close to three decades. On Saturday afternoon, Rasne's supporters were busy preparing for their leader's rally on foot in Nana Peth area. Supporters gathered in significant numbers in the narrow lanes.
They said Rasne will win the Kasba Peth election this time as voters know that Dhangekar did not do much for the constituency in one-and-a-half years. The campaign began soon after Rasne's arrival. A BJP worker participating in the campaign said that Rasne will cover all the lanes and pockets of Nana Peth before reaching the endpoint in the Mandai area late in the evening.
Another worker said that Rasne and his team took up an aggressive campaign in the constituency this time. "The teams have been covering all the areas, and there has been positive feedback. Rasne is meeting people from different areas of the constituency.
Foot campaigns are taken up almost every day. The rallies will continue till Monday. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed a gathering in Bajirao Road area for Rasne on Friday.
The huge footfall at his rally is an indication that people want the BJP to win the seat," another worker added. Dhangekar said that his connection with the people led to his victory in the bypoll, adding that he worked on pending issues of the constituency which led to his victory. The MLA said, "Despite the BJP leading the Kasba Peth constituency for years, redevelopment of wadas, provision of adequate water, and construction near Shaniwarwada remained unresolved.
I have taken up these issues at the state level. Traffic chaos is a huge concern, and our team is working on solving it." His challenge also comes from senior Congress leader Kamal Vyavahare contesting as an independent after the party denied her a ticket.
On the other hand, Rasne pacified the rebels to avoid a division of votes. Locals said that Kasba Peth constituency requires a dedicated plan since most areas are old. It is not feasible to construct flyovers, grade separators, and wide roads in the constituency.
The MLA should on a comprehensive plan, voters said. Besides Rasne and Dhangekar, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's Ganesh Bhokare is also in the fray. Bhokare said that people are fed up with both the BJP and the Congress and want a change in leadership.
.
