7 aspirants remain in fray for Rahuri bypoll

Nashik: BJP's bid for an unopposed victory in the Rahuri bypoll fell through on Thursday, the final day for withdrawal of nominations, with seven candidates staying in the race despite the party smoothing the path for its nominee, Akshay Kardile, by ensuring that former MLA Prajakt Tanpure of NCP (SP) did not contest.Election officials said as many as 23 aspirants withdrew their nominations on the last day, bringing the total number of contestants down to seven. Those remaining include Govind Mokate of the NCP (SP) and Santosh Cholke of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi.According to political observers, the byelection is shaping up as a direct contest between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Rahuri has long been a political battleground dominated by the Tanpure and Kardile families.In the 2014 assembly elections, Shivaji Kardile of BJP won the seat comfortably. In 2019, however, Prajakt Tanpure of the undivided NCP reclaimed the constituency, later serving as a minister of state. The seat returned to the Kardile family in the 2024 assembly elections. Shivaji Kardile's death led to the byelection, with BJP fielding his son, Akshay, marking the next generation's entry into the long-standing family rivalry.Tanpure had expressed keen interest in contesting the byelection. On the final day of filing nominations, however, BJP state president Ravindra Chavan and district guardian minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil met Tanpure at his office. During the meeting, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to Tanpure over the phone, following which he decided not to file his nomination.NCP (SP) subsequently authorised Govind Mokate to enter the race.Speaking to reporters at the Shirdi airport on Thursday, chief minister Fadnavis confirmed that Tanpure's absence from the ballot was the result of a high-level political understanding. Praising Tanpure's work in the constituency, Fadnavis said, "Tanpure's performance in Rahuri has been commendable. He is a capable leader. I personally requested him not to contest this byelection in the interest of political harmony and he graciously accepted."