BJP’s Ashwini Jagtap Thursday won from the Pimpri-Chinchwad seat by a margin of over 36,000 votes by defeating Nationalist Congress Party candidate Nana Kate and is all set to become the first woman MLA to represent the industrial city in the Maharashtra Assembly.
In an initially closely fought contest, Jagtap, who was widely considered as a favourite, ultimately retained the seat for the party by defeating Kate. Interestingly, Independent candidate Rahul Kalate, who belongs to the Shiv Sena (UBT), played a major role in dividing MVA votes, resulting in Kate’s defeat.
Right from the first round of counting at the Thergaon Centre, Jagtap, fondly addressed as ‘Mayee’ in the Pimple Gurav area, remained ahead and never loosened her grip. It was only in the 20th, 21st and 22nd rounds that she secured fewer votes than Kate. However, she managed to maintain a constant lead.
For a good number of rounds, her lead hovered in and around 10,000 votes. It all changed from the 25th round when her lead jumped to 14,000 votes and then the gap kept widening.
Even before the counting of votes of the Pimple Gurav and Sangvi areas, the two strongholds of the Jagtap family, could be taken up, it had become clear that Ashwini Jagtap would emerge victorious. BJP leaders said she secured votes even in areas dominated by Kate and Kalate. Whether it was in Ravet, Mamurdi, Kiwale, Wakad, Thergaon, Rahatni or Kalawadi, Jagtap gained a significant number of votes in these areas which gave her an unbeatable edge over her nearest rival.
BJP leader Sarang Kamtekar said, “Ashwini Tai led in all pockets across the constituency. In Pimple Saudagar, Kalatewadi and Wakad where she was not expected to do well, she secured a good number of votes.”
From the beginning, Kalate trailed the lead players. However, the votes bagged by him proved decisive as to who would win the seat. Kalate, a Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel, got over 4,50,000 votes. The total number of votes polled by Kate and Kalate add up to much more than the votes secured by the BJP candidate.
In fact, the NCP wasted no time in pointing a finger at Kalate. “I had told Kalate to step aside in favour of Nana Kate. Attempts were also made to ensure that Kate is not able to file the nomination form. However, Kalate refused to listen,” said NCP leader Ajit Pawar.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray too had made efforts to get Kalate out of the race. He had deputed his emissary, Sachin Aher, a Sena leader, to pacify Kalate and make him withdraw from the race. Kalate, however, refused to heed the pleas. He contended that he had secured 1.12 lakh votes in the 2019 election and therefore wanted to stay put in the race and prove his political mettle.
Kalate argued, “When I had already proved myself in the election fray, how could they think of replacing me? The candidate they wanted to field had fared badly in the earlier election.”
As his fate slipped Thursday, Kalate refused to accept defeat. “I can’t believe I got fewer votes even in the areas where I have a good connection with the masses. I think something is wrong here. I am thinking of approaching the election officials to seek a recount,” he told The Indian Express.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, “In Kasba, the Maha Vikas Aghadi won hands down. The Chinchwad seat too belonged to the MVA had Rahul Kalate not contested. We had tried to convince Kalate but he did not listen. Nevertheless, the MVA candidate fought hard in Chinchwad which will give us hope in all future fights against the BJP.”
BJP’s Pimpri-Chinchwad president Mahesh Landge said, “We were fully confident of our victory. We were hoping to win by a margin of over one lakh votes. Though it did not happen and we will introspect about it, the victory in Chinchwad proved how well-oiled our election machinery is. We had plugged all loopholes and shortcomings and ultimately secured the victory.”
Meanwhile, Ashwini Jagtap credited her victory to the development work done by her husband Laxman Jagtap during his tenures as the MLA. Laxman Jagtap was elected three times from the Chinchwad Assembly constituency. The constituency came into being in 2009.
“I credit my victory to the development work carried out by my husband in Chinchwad constituency as an MLA. In the entire campaigning, I have been saying that I am seeking votes to complete the unfinished works of my husband. He had several development works lined up for his constituency. My top priority would be to complete those works. I didn’t seek sympathy votes but sought votes on the basis of the work done by my husband and the people have bestowed their faith in me. I will do everything possible to live up to their expectations,” she said.
Congress leader Babu Nair said, “Earlier, Pimpri-Chinchwad used to have only one constituency which was called Haveli. Motiram Pawar was the first MLA of the Haveli constituency. Ashok Tapkir, Dnyaneshwar Landge and Vilas Lande subsequently became MLAs. From 2009, Pimpri-Chinchwad was carved into three constituencies of Chinchwad, Pimpri and Bhosari. During all this, women candidates were not even fielded. This is the first time a woman candidate has contested and has also won,” he said.