<p>Amid a close contest in the historic Kasba Peth seat of Pune, ailing and bedridden BJP veteran Girish Bapat came out for campaigning in a wheelchair a development after which the saffron party came under the fire of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.</p>.<p>A former Maharashtra minister, Bapat (72) is now the MP from Pune and before that won the Kasba Peth seat five times - 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014.</p>.<p>Bapat is a resident of Kasba Peth, one of the oldest residential localities in Pune. On Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Maharashtra, is expected to meet Bapat at his residence. </p>.<p>On Thursday evening, Bapat was present at a BJP campaign meeting at Lokmanya Hall in Kesari Wada. Bapat was present for around 20 minutes and spoke for around a minute. </p>.<p>“There won’t be any close contest….we will win the election with a good margin. I will personally come to feed you sweets after the win,” said Bapat, the veteran BJP leader with strong RSS-background. </p>.<p>On Wednesday, Bapat had issued a press statement saying he would not be able to participate in the campaign.</p>.<p>In Kasba Peth, the fight is between Hemant Rasane (BJP) and Ravindra Dhangekar (Congress). </p>.<p>The polls have been necessitated because of the death of Mukta Tilak, the great-grand-daughter-in-law of the legendary nationalist and revolutionary leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak.</p>.<p>“It is painful,” said Anand Dave of Hindu Mahasangh, who is contesting the polls. </p>.<p>NCP leaders including party president Sharad Pawar, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar and senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal have expressed concern over Bapat campaigning while he is having serious health issues. “Was it really necessary,” asked Pawar senior. </p>
<p>Amid a close contest in the historic Kasba Peth seat of Pune, ailing and bedridden BJP veteran Girish Bapat came out for campaigning in a wheelchair a development after which the saffron party came under the fire of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.</p>.<p>A former Maharashtra minister, Bapat (72) is now the MP from Pune and before that won the Kasba Peth seat five times - 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014.</p>.<p>Bapat is a resident of Kasba Peth, one of the oldest residential localities in Pune. On Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Maharashtra, is expected to meet Bapat at his residence. </p>.<p>On Thursday evening, Bapat was present at a BJP campaign meeting at Lokmanya Hall in Kesari Wada. Bapat was present for around 20 minutes and spoke for around a minute. </p>.<p>“There won’t be any close contest….we will win the election with a good margin. I will personally come to feed you sweets after the win,” said Bapat, the veteran BJP leader with strong RSS-background. </p>.<p>On Wednesday, Bapat had issued a press statement saying he would not be able to participate in the campaign.</p>.<p>In Kasba Peth, the fight is between Hemant Rasane (BJP) and Ravindra Dhangekar (Congress). </p>.<p>The polls have been necessitated because of the death of Mukta Tilak, the great-grand-daughter-in-law of the legendary nationalist and revolutionary leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak.</p>.<p>“It is painful,” said Anand Dave of Hindu Mahasangh, who is contesting the polls. </p>.<p>NCP leaders including party president Sharad Pawar, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar and senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal have expressed concern over Bapat campaigning while he is having serious health issues. “Was it really necessary,” asked Pawar senior. </p>
