BJP's Bhimrao Tapkir will take on NCP's Harshada Wanjale in Pune

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena (SS) alliance on Sunday announced its candidate, BJP corporator from Dhankavdi, Bhimrao Tapkir, for the by-election to the Khadakwasla legislative assembly seat.

Tapkir would be contesting against the widow of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) MLA, Ramesh Wanjale, who is contesting on a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket. Harshada Wanjale is expected to file her nomination on Monday.

The death of Wanjale in June made the by-poll necessary, voting for which would be held on October 13.  The decision of Harshada to officially contest on an NCP ticket had caused ripples in the political circles as she is tipped to win the election.
The MNS has decided not to field any candidate for the polls, while there was some acrimony between the BJP and Shiv Sena about the “willingness” of the Sena to fight the elections.

Tapkir, on his part, oozed confidence about his victory, citing the various developmental work he had undertaken in the area. “People have confidence in my clean image and would vote for me,” he claimed.

Asked if the sympathy wave in favour of Harshada would pose a threat to him, Tapkir said, “Harshada’s defection to the NCP will not be forgiven by people. There won’t be a sympathy wave in her favour,” he said.  In politics for the last 20 years, Tapkir has a clean and sober image in Dhankavdi. A BJP loyalist since the beginning of his political career, Tapkir would be filing his nomination papers on Monday, the last day for doing so.