Pune: Shankar Jagtap Wins Chinchwad With 1.03 Lakh Votes, Defeats NCP-SP’s Rahul Kalate

Reported By Varad Bhatkhande
Chinchwad, 23rd November 2024: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Chinchwad, Shankar Jagtap, secured a resounding victory, defeating Nationalist Congress Party – Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP) candidate Kalate by a margin of 1.03 lakh votes. The election, initially expected to be a tough contest, turned one-sided despite Kalate’s campaign being supported by Shirur MP Dr Amol Kolhe and veteran leader Sharad Pawar. Shankar Jagtap, who had the backing of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, managed to claim a decisive win.

With 6.43 lakh registered voters, Chinchwad is Maharashtra’s largest constituency by electorate. The voter turnout stood at 56.73%, but since both candidates were vying to become first-time MLAs, the turnout figures offered little predictive insight.

Following the death of BJP MLA Laxman Jagtap, his wife, Ashwini Jagtap, won the by-elections last year. Shankar Jagtap, Laxman’s brother, was initially expected to compete against his sister-in-law, who is the current MLA. However, Ashwini Jagtap showed maturity by stepping aside and offering full support to Shankar. Despite this, Shankar Jagtap faced internal opposition from Mahayuti aspirants and accusations of nepotism due to his lack of a notable political track record. Over time, he resolved these challenges.

While the contest was initially anticipated to be close between Kalate and Jagtap, Shankar Jagtap ultimately won decisively, securing a significant margin of victory.