’Low voter turnout may turn stars against Wanjale’

'Low voter turnout may turn stars against Wanjale'

Numerologists and astrologers say unforeseen 32% turnout in bypoll has forced them to rework their calculations and Ramesh Wanjale's widow may not ride to victory on sympathy wave as previously predicted; BJP's Tapkir given higher chances of emerging winner when counting ends today.

The unexpectedly low voter turnout of 32.74 per cent in the Khadakwasla assembly by-election has given rise to much uncertainty when it comes to predicting the winner. Even numerologists and astrologers seem to be confounded by the different voting percentage than was expected, and they say all earlier calculations that predicted former MLA Ramesh Wanjale's widow would strike gold now no longer seem to hold as much strength as they did before the polling.

Number game: NCP candidate Harshada Wanjale's chances of winning
the Khadakwasla by-election are not bright after the low voter turnout,
say numerologists and astrologers. They add that BJP candidate Bhimrao
Tapkiru00a0stands a good chance of emerging victorious. File pics

Political experts also think the result may not be in favour of Harshada Wanjale, who contested as an NCP candidate even though her husband had been elected on an MNS ticket from the constituency. The decision by Wanjale, who contested the election "on behalf of her late husband", to switch over from the Congress to the NCP before the election may have changed the mindset of voters in Khadakwasala, stated political experts.

BJP candidate Bhimrao Tapkir

At least 50 per cent voting was predicted in Khadakwasala even though it was a by-election. The by-election had become a prestige point for the NCP, and especially for Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who had been on the back foot since the recent firing on agitating farmers in Maval.

If the NCP candidate emerges victorious in Khadakwasala, it may go a long way in proving his hold on the district has still not weakened. Many NCP leaders, including R R Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal, campaigned for Wanjale. As for the BJP, its national leader Gopinath Munde and state president Sudhir Manguntiwar campaigned for the candidate.

Though there was talk of a rift in the BJP with the Munde camp and the one loyal to national president Nitin Gadkari working against each other, party city unit chief Vikas Mathkari said the campaigning for the party candidate was quite satisfactory. While the counting of votes today might still throw up a surprise, most seers said their predictions did not give much of a chance for Wanjale.

Noted numerologist Madhusudan Ghanekar said the low turnout had turned the stars against Wanjale. "The low voting itself is an indicator of the diminished possibility of Wanjale's victory," said Ghanekar. "Speaking from a numerological perspective, the question about a possible victory came to me on the 16th, and the addition of one and six gives seven, a number that creates confusion."

Uday Sane, an astrologer, was also of the opinion that Wanjale's chances were very low because of the low voting percentage in Khadakwasala. Sane also said that the BJP had run a better campaign in the constituency, which by itself indicated the chances of party candidate Bhimrao Tapkir winning were higher. "Finally, I can only say that whosoever wins shall do so by a margin of not more than 5,000 to 6,000 votes," he said.

Dr Sunita Page, who is an astrologer as well as a numerologist, stated that the possibility of Wanjale winning was 45 per cent while that of and Tapkir stood at 55 per cent, going by their horoscopes. "At this moment Tapkir's chances of winning are much better than Wanjale," she said.

One for Wanjale
Well-known astrologer Nandakumar Jakatdar recently predicted that Harshada Wanjale would win the Khadakwasla assembly bypoll by a huge margin. Though Jakatdar, who is currently out of station, is not aware of the low turnout of 32.74 per cent in the by-election, a disciple of his in the city said there was no change in the prediction and Wanjale would be the winner, and not Tapkir.