Pune: A high-spirited poll campaign took off from the Congress camp in Kasba Peth for the Pune seat though no candidate’s name was announced by the party even on Sunday. The filing of nominations will end on April 4.All hopefuls, including Praveen Gaikwad who joined the party in Mumbai on Saturday, Abhay Chhajed, Mohan Joshi and Arvind Shinde, marched together seeking votes on behalf of the party.Their poll campaign started on Sunday with a visit to the Kasba Ganpati temple. The party had started electioneering without a candidate in 2009 too.The candidature of Suresh Kalmadi was declared after the process to file nomination had already begun. The Congress had secured victory then even after a delay in declaring a candidate and with less time for canvassing at their disposal.The Congress had planned to start poll canvassing from Friday. But the programme was postponed. The party officials said the decision was taken due to technical reasons. The rally could not be held because the police department did not give any permission. BJP Lok Sabha candidate Girish Bapat’s is an MLA from Kasba Peth assembly constituency.The rally was held on Sunday. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders and other alliance partners of the Congress were present for the event. All the aspirants walked in the rally which concluded at Raviwar Peth. The workers carried placards and shouted slogans against BJP party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Bapat.The event had gathered enough attention as Congress party in Pune was expecting the candidate’s name before campaigning.“The Congress candidate will have around 20 days in hand. The party should decide as soon as possible. Rallies without the candidate are of little use,” a party worker said.The candidate is likely to be an outsider has not gone well with some workers, “People, who have spent years for the party, should ideally get the ticket. An outsider as a contestant is an injustice. It may lead to loss of morale,” another party worker said.For some party workers the “wining ability of candidate” should be the only criteria. His or her association should be second priority.“The fight should be tough and our candidate should win. If he is an outsider or a party member is no more an issue. The time for debating about it has gone,” a party worker said.The election for Pune will be held on April 23. The filing of nominations will end on April 4. Three hopefuls are eyeing the ticket.“We have started campaigning. All aspirants hoping to get the ticket have a good ground network. They will put up a big fight and make sure that the party wins. The name of the candidate will be announced soon,” Ramesh Bagwe, city unit chief of the Congress, said.Chetan Tupe, city unit chief of NCP, said their party has no role to play in the decision about the candidature in Pune.“We are an alliance partner for the Congress. Our party members are doing their best to make sure that our candidate wins. Whoever gets the ticket from the Congress will get our support. The party workers will reach out in NCP strongholds to promote the alliance candidate,” he said.

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