Shinde Sena backing claimed for Andhalkar in Pune graduates' poll after Uday Samant visit

After the Pune Legislative Council teachers' constituency election, talk of a shift in the wind has now reached the graduates' constituency too. In the teachers' constituency, the Mahayuti alliance had been drawn into a friendly contest. In Pune, the Shinde Sena had taken on the BJP. Mangesh Chivte withdrew his nomination, but by backing Sachin Sanap the Shinde Sena did not let slip the chance to settle scores. A big twist is now said to be coming in the graduates' constituency as well, and a single meeting has heated up the political atmosphere.

Bhausaheb Andhalkar, a Shiv Sena Shinde faction leader and independent candidate, has claimed that he has the faction's support in the Pune division graduates' constituency. Minister Uday Samant recently visited Andhalkar's home. Afterwards, Andhalkar claimed that the Shinde faction is with him. The claim has stoked discussion in political circles and caused unease in the BJP camp. Andhalkar is contesting the graduates' constituency as an independent. All eyes are on whether the move made in the teachers' constituency will be repeated by the Shinde Shiv Sena in the graduates' seat.

Smita Jadhav in the Pune graduates' constituency and Kaustubh Gawade in the teachers' constituency are said to be the Mahayuti's official candidates. Harshada Deshmukh-Jadhav is the Sharadchandra Pawar Nationalist Congress candidate for the graduates' seat. In the teachers' constituency, Prof. Jayant Asgaonkar is the MVA candidate. Both constituencies cover the Pune, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Solapur districts. Campaigning for the Pune division graduates' and teachers' constituencies is in full swing, and the undercurrents within the Mahayuti are coming to the surface.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi has heated up the atmosphere in Pune through the agitation of MPSC students. In western Maharashtra, the contest has taken the shape of the BJP against the Maha Vikas Aghadi. The Shinde Sena's stance appears to be adding to the BJP's difficulties. The candidate is the BJP's, but the Mahayuti's constituent parties are speaking in different voices, posing a big challenge to the party. After Uday Samant's visit, it is being assumed that the Shinde Sena has backed Andhalkar. No official position has yet emerged on this, but the latest developments have increased the BJP's tension.