Pune: Kothrud resident Viraj Dakwe, who is contesting the assembly poll from Kothrud constituency as an independent, was busy campaigning the last week. Unlike political parties where there are teams for election management, he is managing his campaign by himself to reach the maximum number of voters with minimum resources. Like Dakwe, many independent candidates in Pune are fighting the election based on their own strengths and capacities.
They said that their agenda includes better health services, good facilities for citizens at affordable rates, improvement in infrastructure for the poor, and providing jobs. The candidates said that they are mostly dependent on home visits, personal contacts, and word-of-mouth publicity. Over 300 candidates are in the fray in 21 constituencies in Pune, and at least 50% of them are independents.
Bopodi resident Vijay Jagtap, who is contesting from Shivajinagar, said that he was working for citizen-centric services for two decades and has pitched health issues in his campaign. "People from the slums and deprived sections do not get adequate health services. The PMC-run or govt hospitals are not beneficial.
There is no good hospital in our area," Jagtap said, adding that he is contesting the election to bring development. Bhavani Peth resident Ganesh Shendge jumped into the Pune Cantonment seat fray as an independent, saying that many slum rehabilitation schemes in the constituency are not well-implemented and are on a slow track. "Availabil.
