Pune, Mar 2 (IANS): In a big relief, BJP candidate Ashwini L. Jagtap has won the bypoll to the Chinchwad Assembly seat on the outskirts of Pune, the results of which were announced here on Thursday.
She trounced her nearest Nationalist Congress Party-Maha Vikas Aghadi rival Vithal 'Nana' Kate and Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel Rahul Kalate who contested as an Independent.
Jagtap secured around 1,35,494 votes over Kate's 99,424 votes and Kalate's 40,075 votes.
Soon after her victory, Jagtap admitted that she got the benefit of Kalate's rebellion, while Kate alleged that massive money-power was in play in Chinchwad.
The byelection was necessitated due to the death of incumbent BJP MLA Laxman Jagtap, the husband of Ashwini Jagtap.