Pune MLC Polls 2026: Supriya Sule Questions BJP Candidate Kaustubh Gawade Wearing Party Scarf While Voting

Pune, Oct 23: NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Friday demanded answers from authorities after a video purportedly showed BJP candidate Kaustubh Gawade sporting a party scarf while casting his vote in Pune in the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls.

In a social media post, Sule shared the video showing Gawade, the BJP candidate from the Pune Teachers’ constituency, questioning whether the incident amounted to a violation of the model code of conduct.

“At a polling station, one is expected to set aside one’s political identity and enter as an ordinary voter. Everyone must uphold the sanctity of this sacred democratic process and the impartiality of polling stations,” Sule said.

Sule questions alleged poll code violation

She asked how the candidate was allowed to enter the polling station wearing a party symbol and whether such a concession was being extended only to candidates from the ruling party.

“Isn’t this a violation of the model code of conduct?” she asked.

Sule demanded that the Maharashtra government and the Election Commission clarify what action would be taken against the candidate over the alleged violation.

Prof. Sachin Sanap, an independent candidate for Pune Teachers' constituency, also raised concerns over Gawade allegedly entering the polling booth with a BJP scarf.

Polling underway for five MLC seats

Biennial elections are being held on Friday for five seats -- three Graduates’ and two Teachers’ constituencies -- in the 78-member Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC). These are Pune Division Graduates’, Nagpur Division Graduates’, Pune Division Teachers’, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) Graduates’ and Amravati Teachers’ constituencies.

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The Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Sunetra Pawar-led NCP, and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of the Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT), are contesting all five seats.

Vote counting scheduled for October 27

The counting of votes is scheduled for October 27, while the election process will be completed by October 31, officials have said.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)