BJP bigwigs Varsha Tapkir, Mansi Deshpande & Manjusha Nagpure face newcomers in race to Pune mayor post
Kalinda Punde, Manisha Chorbole, Archana Patil, Manjushree Khardekar, Vasanti Jadhav, and Sayali Wanjale are the other BJP contenders with experience as PMC corporators.
BJP supporters celebrating at its city office in DP road after the remarkable win in PMC elections on Friday. (Express photographs by Arul Horizon) With the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) placed in the Open (Women) category in the lottery draw for mayoral reservations held on Thursday, veteran BJP corporators Varsha Tapkir, Mansi Deshpande and Manjusha Nagpure are in the race for the coveted Pune mayor post, alongside newcomers Swarada Bapat and Aishwarya Pathare.
With the BJP winning 119 of 165 seats in the PMC elections, its official candidate for the post is all set to be the next Pune mayor. A total of 41 BJP corporators have been elected from seats reserved for the Open (Women) category, making them contenders for the post.
According to a senior PMC official, the women corporators from reserved category can also contest for mayor post, which is open for all.
Apart from Tapkir, Deshpande and Nagpure, among those with previous experience as PMC corporators are Kalinda Punde, Manisha Chorbole, Archana Patil, Manjushree Khardekar, Vasanti Jadhav and Sayali Wanjale.
“I am glad a woman will be the new mayor of Pune. I have been elected to the PMC for the fourth consecutive time from south Pune. I will abide by whatever decision the party takes for the post of mayor. It is because of the BJP that I have been elected four times,” said Tapkir.
The BJP always stands by hardworking party workers and keeps a close watch on the work of corporators, she added.
A senior BJP leader said the party would prefer a loyalist to be the next mayor of Pune, as in the past. In the previous term, Mukta Tilak and Murlidhar Mohol were appointed Pune mayors for two-and-a-half year terms, respectively.
Tapkir and Nagpure have been active corporators during the term when the BJP was in the Opposition. While Nagpure was elected unopposed from the Manikbaug-Suncity ward, Deshpande is the sister-in-law of minister Madhuri Misal.
“The BJP comes up with surprises so it is possible a fresh face in PMC might get opportunity for the post of Mayor,” said another BJP leader, citing 40 sitting corporators in the previous term were denied ticket by the party in the recently held elections.
If the BJP decides to go for a fresh face, it has a long list of contenders, including Aishwarya Pathare, Trupti Bharane, Swarada Bapat, Jyotsna Kulkarni and Sai Thopte.
Incidentally, the reservation decided through a draw spoiled the chances of party bigwigs Ganesh Bidkar, Srinath Bhimale and Dheeraj Ghate, knocking them out of the competition.
BJP’s list of contenders for Pune mayor post
- Aishwarya Pathare
- Trupti Bharane
- Shweta Galande
- Kavita Galande
- Sapna Chhajed
- Mayuri Kokate
- Rupali Pawar
- Alpana Varpe
- Deepali Dhok
- Manisha Butala
- Pooja Jagade
- Sarika Ghule
- Ujwala Jangle
- Payal Tupe
- Kalinda Punde
- Komal Shendkar
- Tanvi Divekar
- Mansi Deshpande
- Manisha Chorbole
- Archana Patil
- Ujwala Yadav
- Swarada Bapat
- Aishwarya Thorat
- Lata Gaud
- Mitali Sawalekar
- Manjushree Khardekar
- Reshma Barate
- Tejashree Pawale
- Jyotsna Kulkarni
- Vasanti Jadhav
- Sayali Wanjale
- Komal Navale
- Jayashree Bhumkar
- Manjusha Nagpure
- Sai Thopte
- Varsha Tapkir
- Tejashree Badak
- Pratibha Chorghe
- Rupali Dhadve
- Puja Kadam
- Shweta Ghule
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