Pune Elections: Four-Way Showdown Likely In Hadapsar As Major Party Factions and Independent Compete For 2024 Assembly Seat
Pune Elections: Four-Way Showdown Likely In Hadapsar As Major Party Factions and Independent Compete For 2024 Assembly Seat
Hadapsar, October 25, 2024: The electoral race in the Hadapsar Assembly constituency appears set for an intense contest. The MahaYuti alliance has fielded NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) MLA Chetan Tupe, while the MahaVikas Aghadi has announced city president Prashant Jagtap of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction as its candidate. Meanwhile, the MNS has nominated city president Sainath Babar. With former MLA Mahadev Babar also preparing to run as an independent candidate, Hadapsar could see a quadrangular contest with two city presidents, a current MLA, and a former MLA in the fray.
This year’s assembly election features a MahaYuti coalition of BJP, Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), while the MahaVikas Aghadi comprises Congress, Uddhav’s Shiv Sena, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). The MahaYuti’s selection of Chetan Tupe from Hadapsar led to Shiv Sena’s Shinde faction candidate Pramod Nana Bhangire losing his candidacy hopes. The MVA has seen a high number of interested candidates, including ex-Minister Balasaheb Shivarkar, Yogesh Sasane, Bandu Gaikwad, Praveen Tupe, and Sameer Tupe. Former corporator Anand Alakunte has also shown strength and might emerge as a potential spoiler if internal rifts arise within the MVA.
Since its formation in 2009, Hadapsar has seen competitive, closely-fought elections, often won by margins of just 2,000 to 10,000 votes. Electoral outcomes have varied significantly, with Shiv Sena’s Mahadev Babar winning in 2009, BJP’s Yogesh Tilekar in 2014, and NCP’s Chetan Tupe in 2019.
