Tapkir thanks lucky stars

It turned out to be a lucky Monday for BJP's Bhimrao Tapkir after he was declared the winner in the Khadakwasla by-election by a margin of 3,625 votes. Tapkir secured a total of 59,634 votes, while Harshada Wanjale got 56,009 votes.




Celebratory mood: Bypoll winner Bhimrao Tapkir with BJP city
unit chief Vikas Mathkari during the victory procession in Shivajinagar;
numerologist Madhusudan Ghanekar and astrologer Uday Sane, who
predicted a Tapkir victory. Pics/Krunal Gosavi and Vivek Sabnis

"It was a tough fight. Fortunately, my party leaders were confident about my victory and MiD DAY predicted correctly on the day of counting," said Tapkir. MiD DAY had reported about numerologists and astrologers who had predicted that owing to low voter turnout, Tapkir would win. "I am thankful to those who predicted in my favour in this most prestigious by-election in Khadakwasla," he said.


BJP's Vikas Mathkari, city unit president, said: "MiD DAY has not only given a correct prediction in the election, but also backed my party and me for the right causes in the election and even earlier. I am thankful to the editor and the staff for reporting objectively during the election," he said.

Mathkari said there was an attempt at booth capturing at the PMC Pokle High School in Dhayari on the polling day on October 13. "We could have lost our winning margin of 3,625 votes. Fortunately, I pointed out this issue to the election officer Jayantkumar Guha and MiD DAY reported it immediately," he said. Ankush Kakde, spokesperson for city unit of NCP, said: "I don't believe in astrology or numerology. Our defeat was owing to division of votes and the low turnout in the election."

Anil Shidore, general secretary of city unit of MNS, said: "It is really amazing that the prediction made in MiD DAY proved 100 per cent correct. We are happy about the result. As per the decision of party chief Raj Thackeray, we won the poll without even fighting for it."

'We told you so'
THE two astrologers and a numerologist who had told MiD DAY Tapkir had bright chances of winning were ecstatic. Madhusudan Ghanekar, au00a0 numerologist, and astrologers Uday Sane and Dr Sunita Page said they had been proved right. "I was sure of Tapkir's victory and my assessment was perfect," said Ghanekar. Sane said, "Nobody could have stopped Tapkir. The stars were in his favour."