Maha Vikas Aghadi partners may contest Pune bypolls, says Ajit Pawar

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], January 21 : Allies of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) would meet on January 23 and 24 and are expected to discuss the bypoll on two assembly constituencies in Pune district.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, told ANI that the alliance partners feel they should contest bypoll to Chinchwad and Kasba Peth Assembly constituencies.
"I doubt this bypoll will be go unopposed," he said.
Pawar's remarks came in the wake of reported suggestion of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde that the election should be unopposed.
He is learnt to have said that there is a tradition in Maharashtra that if a sitting MLA dies and his close relative is fielded by the same party, then rival parties do not field their candidates and referred to the Andheri East bypoll held last year.
The Election Commission on Wednesday announced the schedule for the bye-elections to two assembly seats in Maharashtra.
The election in Kasba Peth and Chinchwad was necessitated following the death of BJP leaders Mukta Shailesh Tilak and Laxman Pandurang Jagtap respectively.
The bypoll would be held on February 27 and the results would be declared on March 2.
"MVA and other supporting parties would be meeting on January 23,24. Senior leaders of all parties would be present. We would discuss it," Pawar added.
Pawar further said that some party workers from two constituencies have met him and expressed their willingness to contest the bypoll, adding that they would also be meeting senior party leader Sharad Pawar.
Kasba Peth MLA Mukta Tilak died on December 22 last year and Chinchwad MLA Laxman Jagtap passed away on January 3 after a prolonged illness.