As Maharashtra is awaiting its results for the local body elections, Solapur's Akluj town is witnessing a fight for prestige over a BJP and NCP (Sharad Pawar) candidate. Two friends, both local workers, are supporting a BJP and NCP(SP) candidate each - and whichever party wins will give a 'Royal Enfield' bike to the other.
While Machhindra Karanawar is supporting the NCP(SP) candidate Reshma Adgale, Dada Tarange is betting on the BJP's Pooja Kothmire.
NCP(SP) candidate Reshma Adgale
BJP candidate Pooja Kothmire
The two friends can be heard having a friendly banter in a video and seem to be equally confident about winning the bike.
"There will be a bullet motorcycle here on December 21. Whoever wins the municipal council head seat will give the other a bike," one of them said in the clip.
A similar bet in the town was made during the Lok Sabha elections last year between BJP and NCP(SP) workers.
The results for the local body elections will be declared on December 21. The voting took place on December 2. The Bombay High Court had directed the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) to postpone the counting of votes for all the local body polls from the earlier December 3 scheduled date.
The polls are being viewed as a major indicator of political sentiment in the state following the BJP-led Mahayuti's landslide victory in the November 2024 assembly elections, securing 235 out of 288 seats.
