The results of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections revealed that under the panel system, voters elected candidates of two different parties.
The results of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections revealed that under the panel system, voters elected candidates of two different parties.
This trend appears to have helped the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) gain quite a few seats at the expense of other parties.
In panel 40 (Collector’s office) Arvind Shinde of the Congress was elected to the seat reserved for men. However, Kalpana Bahirhat of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) won the seat for women, defeating her Congress rival, Laxmi Ghodke.
The same trend was observed in Ved Bhavan (panel 29). Shankar Kemse of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won the seat for men, but Puja Kanojiya of the MNS won the seat for women. Likewise, Urmila Aru of the NCP won the women’s seat in Magarpatta City (panel 20), while Sunil Gaikwad of the Congress emerged victorious. Varsha Tapkir of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to retain her corporatorship in Dhankavdi-Padmavati (panel 69). Her counterpart, Gorakh Parande of the Shiv Sena lost to Shivlal Bhosale of the NCP. However, this trend was missing in suburbs like Kharadi, Hadapsar and Vishrantwadi, where most voters voted for both candidates of one party.
This ‘cross-voting’ has been analysed as a sign of voters’ refusal to go for party loyalty while voting.
“Unlike assembly or general elections, the civic elections are always fought on local issues. Therefore in such elections, the images of the candidates carry more weight. Under such circumstances, the candidate who has struck a chord with the voters will get preference over party loyalty. Therefore, there are always chances of cross-voting in panels in favour of hard working or charismatic candidates. In the panel system, at times a strong candidate can give a push to a weaker candidate of the same party if they work in perfect coordination. If that does not happen, the weaker candidate has less chances,” according to the observers.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}