Pune: Kasba Peth and Kothrud assembly seats to decide new MP?

Pune: The Lok Sabha election was held in the city on Monday. The fate was sealed in the ballot box of main rivals Maha Yuti’s Murlidhar Mohol, MVA’s Ravindra Dhangekar and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’s (VBA) Vasant More. The city recorded 50.50 pc voting till 6 pm.

However, the winner will be decided by the percentage of polling in the six assembly constituencies. Turnouts in the Kasba Peth and Kothrud assembly segments will be decisive. Both these seats are the BJP’s strongholds. However, in the backdrop of Ravindra Dhangekar’s dramatic win in the bypoll for the Kasba seat will prove vital in this election.

The Pune Lok Sabha constituency comprises the Kasba Peth, Kothrud, Parvati, Pune Cantonment and Vadgaon Sheri assembly segments. The BJP holds sway over all these assembly seats. The percentage of voting is the highest in the Kasba Peth assembly constituency, followed by the Kothrud segment. The Kasba Peth seat registered a turnout of 57.90 pc while it was 49.10 pc in Kothrud. However, the final turnouts for each segment is yet to be announced. The tallies are likely to go up. The final percentage would decide the winner.

Voters crowded polling centres in the morning in all assembly constituencies. Rush was seen in the afternoon too. Later, the enthusiasm receded in the evening. Turnout reported till 3 pm in Pune was 33.70 pc. During the period, turnouts in assembly segments were 37.2 pc in Kothrud, 26.61 pc in Wadgaon Sheri, 27.14 in Parvati and 35.23 in Kasba Peth.

In the Maval Lok Sabha constituency, 36.54 pc turnout was reported while the Shirur Lok Sabha seat reported 36.43 pc polling till 3 pm. The Pune assembly segments recorded following turnouts till 5 pm: Kasba Peth: 51.07 pc, Kothrud: 48.91 pc, Parvati: 46.80 pc, Pune Cantonment: 44.01 pc, Shivajinagar: 38.73 pc, and Wadgaon Sheri: 40.50 pc.

Who will lead in Kasba Peth and Kothrud?

The Kothrud and Kasba Peth assembly segments are the strongholds of the BJP. Except for the Kasba Peth, the remaining five MLAs are from the BJP. The Kasba Peth segment was snatched away from the BJP by the Congress in the bypoll. Dhangekar’s win suggested that voters preferred Dhangekar too. Voting in Kasba Peth could prove a decisive factor.