Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
The East constituency has become the focal point of intense campaigning with only two days remaining until the election. Candidates such as Atul Save, Imtiaz Jaleel, Afsar Khan, Lahu Shewale and Dr. Gaffar Kadri have ramped up their efforts in a bid to secure votes.
Among the nine constituencies in the district, Aurangabad East is the most heated battleground. All candidates have set up war rooms and are conducting aggressive door-to-door campaigns to win the trust of the electorate. In the East 29 candidates battling for the seat and the competition is fierce. The key contenders for the East constituency seat include BJP’s Atul Save, AIMIM’s Imtiaz Jaleel (former MP), Afsar Khan, and Dr Gaffar Kadri. If Atul Save wins, he will create history by clinching the seat for the BJP. On the other hand, Imtiaz Jaleel, with his significant influence in the constituency, is a strong contender. Afsar Khan and Dr. Gaffar Kadri are also putting up strong campaigns. In their campaigns, many candidates are focusing on securing votes from the SC/ST and OBC communities, as this voter base is expected to play a crucial role in determining the winner. The effectiveness of schemes like the “Ladki Bahin Yojana” remains to be seen in swaying the electorate. There were 183,527 male voters, 169,772 female voters, and 14 other voters, making a total of 352,313 voters who will decide the future of the East constituency.
Atul Save
Atul Save has been engaging actively with voters, leveraging support from various community groups such as the Maratha community in New Hanuman Nagar, the Bharatiya OBC Seva Sangh Maharashtra State, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Bahujan Samata Sena, and the Akhil Maharashtra Suvarnakar Vikas Mahasangh. Save is focused on addressing the concerns of citizens through everyday foot march, which is a key voter base for his campaign. His strategy includes conducting daily rallies and corner meetings across the constituency to establish direct contact with the electorate. In his campaign, PM Narendra Modi, CM Eknath Shinde and DCM Devendra Fadnavis have been campaigning for Save.
Imtiaz Jaleel
Imtiaz Jaleel has been actively engaging with the electorate through initiatives like the "Chalo Mumbai" rally, door-to-door campaigns, and foot marches. He has also held public meetings to boost voter outreach, particularly in Aurangabad East. His efforts have been further supported by AIMIM leaders, including Asaduddin Owaisi and Akbaruddin Owaisi, who have addressed local issues and strengthened voter engagement. Jaleel’s campaign focuses on appealing to the Muslim voter base in the region.
However, the true test will be how well they can consolidate support from key voter segments and leverage local issues to their advantage. With the voter base firmly deciding the fate of the constituency, it remains to be seen which candidate will emerge victorious in this fiercely contested battle.
BOXX
List of Candidates - Aurangabad East:
Atul Save, Imtiaz Jaleel, Lahu Shewale, Gaffar Quadri, Afsar Khan, Daiwshali Zine, Hanif Shah, Isa Yasin, Jaiprakash Ghorpade, Lateef Khan, Madhukar Tribhuvan, Mohsin Sir Nasim Bhai, Neeta Bhalerao, Pashu Shaikh, Rahul Sable, Rahul Nikam, Ravikiran Pagare, Saddam Abdul Aziz, Saheb Khan, Salim Patel, Santosh Salve, Shahzad Khan, Shaikh Ahmed, Shamim Mohammad, Shital Bansode, Sominath Veer, Tasneem Bano, Yogesh Suradkar and Zakira Alias Shakila Pathan.