Unlike Chinchwad, where the fight is one-to-one, in Bhosari, a clear picture is still to emerge. While two women, Mangala Kadam of NCP and Sulbha Ubale of Shiv Sena, are claiming they would win, sitting MLA Vilas Lande is nervous. He is not ready to hazard a guess, but hopes he won’t be unlucky for the second time in six months. He had lost the Lok Sabha elections from Shirur to Sena’s Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil.

Though Lande may be reluctant to make a guess, political observers believe it would be difficult for Kadam and Ubale to defeat him on his home turf. “In the past too, Lande had contested civic elections as an Independent and won. This time, he may win. But it’s going to be a fight between Lande and Ubale,” said corporator Maruti Bhapkar. Lande’s fate depends on the number of votes bagged by independent candidates, Vasant Londhe and Datta Gaikwad. “All votes that would have gone to Lande would be divided between Londhe and Gaikwad. If they get few votes, Lande would win by a huge margin,” said Bhapkar. Lande, who had won five years ago on an NCP ticket defeating two-time MLA Gajanan Babar from Haveli, is banking on gaonwallahs (sons-of-the-soil) who dominate Bhosari. Landes, Landges, Phuges, Gavahanes, Pathares and their friends may have different political ideologies but when one of them is contesting, these sons-of-the-soil are known to rally around him or her.

In the last assembly election it was proved beyond doubt as Lande won on covert support of some local BJP leaders. “I will not say a word. I am very nervous, especially after my Lok Sabha defeat,” Lande said.

... contd.