Pune: Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate Ravindra Dhangekar of Congress was declared elected from Kasba Assembly Constituency by-elections by defeating BJP candidate Hemant Rasane by 11, 040 votes here on Thursday.
The counting of votes began this morning and Dhangekar maintained his lead from the first round till last.
This seat (Kasba Assembly Constituency) which was in BJP’s possession for the last 28 years, has now gone to Congress.
After the death of BJP leader Mukta Tilak, by-elections were held in the Kasba. It was demanded by Mukta Tilak’s family that someone from his family should be given ticket, but BJP gave the ticket to Rasane.
However, it was said that there is anti-BJP sentiment in the city due to Hemant Rasane being nominated instead of Tilak family.
It is also said that the Brahmin community was upset with the BJP for not fielding a candidate in Mukta Tilak’s house who was from Brahmin family.
Meanwhile, after nearly 28 years, the seat of MLA in the Pune Kasba has come from BJP to Congress.
Earlier, in the 1992 elections, the Congress candidate was elected from the this constituency.
Hemant Rasane of BJP has accepted his defeat and said that he will discuss with the workers, people’s representatives of that area. “I could not go door to door, but our workers went door to door. I don’t think there is any difference in anger. I feel like I’ve fallen short. I will think about it a little bit. I think this result is shocking,” Rasane told told media after results MVA candidate Ravindra Dhangekar got 73149 votes while BJP candidate Hemant Rasane secured 62244 in by-election.
