Lok Sabha Elections: Pune and Shirur Gear Up with 35 and 32 Candidates Respectively
Tikam Shekhawat
Pune, 30th April 2024: The deadline for withdrawal of nominations from the Pune and Shirur Lok Sabha constituencies came to a close on Monday. In Pune, seven candidates withdrew their nominations, while three withdrew from Shirur. Consequently, the electoral race in Pune now features 35 candidates and 32 candidates in Shirur.
Leading up to this, a flurry of nominations flooded both constituencies. A total of 42 candidates filed nominations in Pune, while Shirur saw 46 hopefuls throw their hats into the ring. Subsequent scrutiny on Friday found all applications from Pune to be valid, contrasted by the invalidation of 11 independent candidates in Shirur. As a result, Pune boasts 42 valid candidates, while Shirur presents 35 contenders.
Among the withdrawals, an intriguing twist emerged with Monika Mohol, wife of BJP candidate Muralidhar Mohol from Pune, submitting an alternative application only to later retract it. Additionally, a total of seven candidates, including three independents from Shirur, withdrew their candidacies.
With the increase in candidates, logistical adjustments follow suit. The utilization of three ballot units becomes necessary due to the limit of 16 candidates per unit on the EVM machine. Consequently, both Pune and Shirur constituencies will employ three ballot units each.
Symbol allocation further underscored the electoral process. Notably, an independent candidate from Shirur was assigned the symbol of a trumpet (tutari), met without objection. Unlike previous instances where symbol allocations drew contention, particularly in Baramati, the process proceeded smoothly in Shirur. Vanchit Bahujan Vikas Aghadi candidate from Pune Constituency, Vasant More, was assigned the ‘Road Roller’ symbol without incident.
As the election fervor intensifies, candidates and constituents alike brace themselves for the impending electoral showdown, slated to shape the political landscape of both Pune and Shirur.
