Pune Candidates Maintain Hectic Pace on Election Eve
The final day of high-decibel campaigning concluded on Tuesday across Pune. However, Wednesday brought no respite for candidates contesting in the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad civic polls. With voting scheduled for Thursday to elect local representatives, aspirants remained deeply engaged in last-minute preparations.
Constituency Rounds and Booth Management
Most candidates spent Wednesday traveling through their respective wards. They adhered strictly to Election Commission guidelines limiting public gatherings to fewer than five people. Activities included direct voter interactions, strategy sessions with party workers, and finalizing arrangements for polling booths.
Prashant Jagtap, the Congress candidate from Wanowrie-Salunkhe Vihar ward, emphasized vigilance as a key priority. Many candidates have deployed volunteers to sensitive areas within their electorates. These volunteers monitor for potential misuse of money or muscle power to influence voters. Their mandate includes alerting police authorities about any observed irregularities until polling concludes.
Constant Communication and Varied Approaches
For candidates like Abhijeet Shivarkar, the BJP nominee from ward number 18, phones have been ringing incessantly. He handles continuous calls from the general public and party volunteers. Dedicated teams also track and manage social media activities to maintain campaign momentum.
In contrast, Yogesh Mulik, the BJP candidate from Kalyaninagar–Wadgaonsheri (ward number 5), adopted a different strategy. He chose not to campaign actively on the last day. Mulik believes social workers who regularly engage with people do not require last-minute efforts to connect with voters.
"All I am doing is instructing our party volunteers to man stalls outside the voting booths, and oversee the general arrangements for polling day," said Mulik. He added that he is avoiding social media outreach in these final twenty-four hours.
Preventing Illegal Activities and Ensuring Voter Access
Yogesh Mokate, the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate from ward number 31 (Mayur Colony–Kothrud), highlighted the critical need to watch for illegal activities. He specifically mentioned the night preceding voting as a vulnerable period.
"We have some pockets where attempts to bribe voters may happen. We have our volunteers in such areas to take videos of such activities and inform the police if they find anything illegal," explained Mokate.
Beyond vigilance, his team focuses on voter accessibility. They have arranged autorickshaws and other transport modes to help every eligible person reach their polling booth.
Door-to-Door Campaigns and Democratic Participation
Raviraj Kale, the city president of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for Pimpri Chinchwad, reported that all thirty-three AAP candidates remain busy with door-to-door campaigning. These interactions comply with Election Commission guidelines.
"We are also ensuring that every elector goes to vote; it does not matter whom they vote for, as when people exercise their franchise, democracy wins," stated Kale.
AAP volunteers assist citizens in locating their polling booths and provide other necessary support. The party continues outreach efforts through phone calls to encourage voter participation.
As Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad approach polling day, candidates balance final campaigning with vigilant oversight. Their collective focus remains on ensuring a smooth, fair, and participatory electoral process for all residents.
