As the Chinchwad Assembly constituency goes for by-polls on Sunday, candidates are hoping for a better voter turnout this time compared to the previous elections. A bigger turnout, believe candidates, will give them a better margin of victory while a lower turnout will make the battle a closely fought one.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, Chinchwad seat registered 53.59 per cent voter turnout, lower than the 56.3 per cent turnout seen in the 2014 Assembly polls.
The Chinchwad seat is witnessing a three-cornered contest. There are 28 candidates in the fray, most of whom are contesting as independents. The fight is primarily between BJP leader Ashwini Jagtap, NCP leader Nana Kate and Independent candidate Rahul Kalate. “The kind of response that we got during our campaign only gives us a feeling that there will be a good turnout on Sunday. Usually, in by-polls, the turnout is low. In general elections, the voter turnout is better as there is an election atmosphere across the state which has an effect everywhere,” Shankar Jagtap, the campaign manager and brother-in-law of Ashwini Jagtap, told The Indian Express on Saturday.
In the 2019 elections, Laxman Jagtap had won by a margin of 38,000 votes. “If there is a bigger or even slightly improved turnout, we are expecting a good margin of votes for us compared to our rivals. A lower turnout will lead to a tighter finish. We are hoping that voters from high-rise residential societies will turn out in big numbers,” said BJP candidate Ashwini Jagtap.
Independent candidate Rahul Kalate said,”I am expecting that the turnout will improve. People will come out to vote for different reasons. There is a sense of disappointment and anger among people against the state government and the Centre. Locally too, the voters have become disenchanted because they don’t have the basic amenities they were looking for despite being honest-tax paying citizens. I am sure they will express their anger through ballot boxes.”
“The atmosphere during campaigning was positive. People eagerly came out of their houses to see the campaigning and interact with the candidates. And therefore, I feel that the voter turnout will
be better this time. If the turnout increases, I am expecting a good lead for myself over others. In case the turnout dips, it will be a close finish,” said Kalate.
Kalate said in the areas of Wakad, Poonawale, Ravet and Thergaon, he expects a large turnout. “These are my strongholds. I have worked in
these areas for years. If voters here show enthusiasm, then it will be decisively in my favour,” he said.
NCP candidate Nana Kate’s strongholds are Pimple Saudagar, Rahatni and Kalewadi areas. “These areas have always registered a high turnout and I am expecting it will not be different this time too,” he said.
Pimpri-Chinchwad NCP chief Ajit Gavahane said,”Candidates campaigned hard and were able to reach out to voters. And that is one reason voting percentage might improve…”.