Keeping in mind the present saffron alliance in the state government, the BJP did not field any candidate against Trupti Sawant in the bypoll. Respect for her late husband Bala Sawant, a hardcore grass-roots worker and a beloved peoples' representative, was observed after voters ensured a thumping win for Trupti.
The Bandra (East) bypoll results, which were declared on Wednesday, have set the stage for the forthcoming civic body election in 2017, where no party will have the choice of contesting independently.
This election, the Shiv Sena benefitted from undivided BJP votes, while Congress could keep AIMIM in third position only because of NCP's support, indicating that the civic body elections, if contested by any party individually, would favour the AIMIM candidate or the independent candidate.
Keeping in mind the present saffron alliance in the state government, the BJP did not field any candidate against Trupti Sawant in the bypoll. Respect for her late husband Bala Sawant, a hardcore grass-roots worker and a beloved peoples' representative, was observed after voters ensured a thumping win for Trupti.
But if one were to compare the numbers with the October 2014 assembly election figures, BJP candidate Mahesh Parkar was second, close to Sena's Bala Sawant himself. AIMIM was in the third position in the last election, which it retained this time. However, Congress was fourth as NCP had pitched its candidate in the contest. That not being the case this time provided comfortable ground for Narayan Rane.
The Sena managed to get more votes compared to the last election — Bala Sawant secured 41,388 votes in the 2014 assembly polls, and Trupti Sawant secured 52,711 votes in the bypoll. But if one were to read between the lines, ie margin of votes, the rise is only of 3,411 votes — October 2014 margin was 15,597, while that in April 15, 2015, is 19,008.
The Congress, on the other hand, even with the debacle, has managed to ensure a higher vote margin than in the last elections — of 21,474 votes.
"The margin is very negligible if one keeps in mind the fact that no BJP candidate contested this election. The ruling party's candidate would definitely have taken a major chunk of the votes had one been fielded.
Nevertheless, it is very evident that if the Sena or the BJP tries to contest the BMC election alone, it may face difficulties. Also, the AIMIM factor has become very strong in the area, with 75,000 voters. This is a direct threat to the Congress and NCP too. Dalit vote bank of 25,000 also plays crucial role in the area," said a BJP leader.
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