Pune: The teachers’ constituency election in the division has emerged as a test of BJP’s organisational strength, incumbent MLC Jayant Asgaonkar’s track record, former MLA Dattatray Sawant’s connection with teachers’ movements, and independent candidate Sachin Sanap’s backing from Shiv Sena led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.BJP candidate Kaustubh Gawade, who brings experience in the education sector and the party’s organisational network, will be looking to convert his outreach among teachers into electoral support. However, Shiv Sena’s backing of Sanap presents a direct challenge to Mahayuti alliance’s efforts to consolidate votes.The constituency covers Pune, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Solapur, with 51,979 registered voters, according to the final electoral roll figures available on Oct 12. The election, scheduled for Oct 23, will test how effectively the candidates have reached teachers across the five districts to address their concerns over service conditions, recruitment, promotions, pension benefits, and growing burden of non-teaching duties. Counting is scheduled for Oct 27.For Gawade, the BJP’s official candidate, the primary challenge is to combine his educational background and institutional experience with the party’s political machinery. Associated with Shri Swami Vivekanand Shikshan Sanstha as its chief executive officer, Gawade has built contact with teachers and educational institutions across the division over the past three to four years. His outreach has included assisting with voter registration and understanding teachers’ grievances.“There is a need for an independent administrative support mechanism to reduce teachers’ non-academic workload,” Gawade said. “I shall pursue this issue with the state govt so teachers can devote more time to classroom teaching and students’ learning needs.”However, his institutional experience must translate into a credible plan for influencing state-level policy and securing decisions from the govt. While BJP’s organisational strength could help him reach voters, Shiv Sena’s support for Sanap has complicated the Mahayuti equation, raising questions over a possible division of votes.Incumbent MLC Jayant Asgaonkar, representing Congress, faces a different test: defending his record and demonstrating progress on issues raised during his tenure.“I have raised the issue of non-academic duties in the legislature, and the state govt was positive about shifting some of these responsibilities to the revenue department,” Asgaonkar said.Meanwhile, former MLA Dattatray Sawant is banking on his long association with teachers’ movements, particularly the campaign for restoration of old pension scheme (OPS). His previous experience as an elected representative could help him connect with teachers concerned about retirement security and service conditions. “My effort will be to work on issues beyond pension-related agitation, focusing on teachers eligibility test (TET) mandates, vacancies, promotions, and administrative workloads,” Sawant noted.Independent candidate Sachin Sanap gained substantial political backing from Shinde-led Shiv Sena after the party’s initial choice, Mangesh Chivte, withdrew from the contest. A former officer on special duty to industries minister Uday Samant, Sanap said, “I will pursue an independent administrative mechanism for teachers, restoration of old pension scheme, and comprehensive insurance cover for both teaching and non-teaching staff.”The final electoral roll lists 12,187 voters in Pune, 13,158 in Solapur, 9,097 in Satara, 7,322 in Sangli, and 10,215 in Kolhapur. Solapur holds the largest electorate, followed closely by Pune and Kolhapur, making district-level outreach and voter mobilisation critical to all four campaigns.The constituency had 72,545 registered voters in the 2020 election, compared to 51,750 in one set of initial figures circulated for the current poll. The final district-wise figures available, however, total 51,979, highlighting the necessity to distinguish provisional registration statistics from the final roll.Beyond political affiliations, the candidates face the common challenge of convincing teachers that their promises will lead to measurable change. The old pension scheme, TET requirements, vacant posts, recruitment delays, promotions, school staffing norms, and severe shortages of non-teaching employees remain the defining concerns of this election.
