Maharashtra Assembly bypolls: Voting under way in Chinchwad and Kasba

According to political analysts, the results of these bypolls, will set the tone for the forthcoming elections in the State, including of the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other civic bodies.

A voter turnout of 10.45% was recorded till 11 am on February 26 in Chinchwad Assembly seat and 8.25% in Kasba Assembly seat in Maharashtra as voting was underway for by-elections in the two constituencies of Pune district, election officials said.

According to political analysts, the results of these bypolls, which saw a high-voltage campaign by senior leaders from various parties, will set the tone for the forthcoming elections in the State, including of the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other civic bodies.

The bypolls in Kasba and Chinchwad were necessitated due to the death of their respective Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs Mukta Tilak and Laxman Jagtap.

In the Kasba Assembly seat in Pune city, there is a contest between BJP's Hemant Rasane and Congress's Ravindra Dhangekar, who is supported by the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).

In Chinchwad, an industrial township near Pune city, the contest is between Ashwini Jagtap of the BJP and Nana Kate of the NCP.

Rival candidates in both the seats have expressed confidence of emerging victorious.

As voting began at 7 am on Sunday, district election authorities in Chinchwad welcomed early voters by laying 'rangoli' (colourful patterns) and offering roses.