Pune bypolls: Cong to represent MVA at Kasba constituency, NCP to fight for Chinchwad

Mumbai: The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra has decided to contest the upcoming Assembly bypolls in Pune together.
As part of an agreement arrived at between the MVA partners, the Conress will contest the Kasba Assembly bypoll while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will represent the Opposition alliance in the battle for Chinchwad constituency. Congress state president Nana Patole said on Monday that the party has decided to field Ravindra Hemraj Dhangekar from the Kasba Assembly sagment.
"It has been decided that the Congress party will contest the seat of Kasba constituency while the Nationalist Congress Party will contest the Chinchwad constituency," Patole tweeted on Monday.
The Election Commission on January 25 revised dates for the upcoming bypolls in Pune to February 26, Sunday. The twin bypolls were earlier scheduled to be held on February 27.
"The District Election Officer of Pune, Maharashtra has reported regarding the clash of the date of the poll with the dates of the 12th Standard HSC exam and graduate degree exam to be conducted at various Polling Stations of the Assembly Constituencies where bye-elections are being held," the EC said in a statement on January 25.
"Consequent upon which, the Commission having considered the matter, ground situation and all other relevant aspects of the matter, has decided to revise the date of poll for bye-elections to Assembly Constituencies 205- Chinchwad and 215-Kasba Peth of Maharashtra," it added.
The couting of votes for the bypolls to the two Pune Assembly segments will be conducted on March 2.
The bye-elections to Kasba Peth and Chinchwad was necessitated following the death of BJP leaders Mukta Shailesh Tilak and Laxman Pandurang Jagtap, respectively.
Kasba Peth MLA Mukta Tilak died on December 22 last year while Chinchwad MLA Laxman Jagtap passed away on January 3 after a prolonged illness. (ANI)