The seat saw a turnout of 76.32%, compared to the state’s overall turnout of 66.05%.

Chavan, who has held the Karad South seat for two consecutive terms, is aiming for a third. But the road to another victory may not be as easy this time. While Chavan has a strong foothold in the constituency, the BJP’s growing influence in the region has raised concerns among Congress supporters. In the previous two elections, Bhosale has steadily narrowed the vote gap between himself and Chavan, from 18,210 votes in 2014 to just 9,130 ​​votes in 2019.

Although Bhosale has faced defeat in the last two elections, he has managed to expand his voter base significantly. This surge in support is largely attributed to the BJP’s growing influence in Satara district, where the party’s visibility and organizational strength is growing with each passing election. The BJP is confident that the increased support in the region could finally tip the scale in Bhosale’s favor in 2024.

The BJP’s optimism contributes to its strong performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Udayanraje Bhosale, the BJP candidate for Satara, won with a significant vote share in the Karad South region, indicating a shift in voter preferences that may favor Atul Bhosale in this parish competition.

Other candidates in the fray

Other candidates in the race include Krishna Gaikwad of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Indrajit Gujar of Swabhimani Paksha, Mahesh Jirange of Rashtriya Samaj Paksha, Sanjay Gade of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, and independent candidates Vishwjeet Undalkar and Shama Shaikh.