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Legacies kept alive as youngsters of political families make it to PMC

Kunal, is son of former mayor Mukta Tilak - descendent of the Lokmanya Tilak family. He had sought the party's candidature in the state assembly election after the demise of his mother, who was then a sitting BJP legislator. Swarada Bapat - daughter in law of late BJP MP Girish Bapat, too made her entry into PMC

3 min readPuneJan 17, 2026 11:36 AM IST

Party leaders at Congress Bhavan in Pune on Friday. (Photo By Atul Horizon)

Standing true to the choice of their party, youngsters Kunal Tilak, Swarada Bapat, Surendra Pathare and Aishwarya Pathare have made it to the elected body of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), keeping their family legacy alive in the city’s politics.

Kunal, is son of former mayor Mukta Tilak – descendent of the Lokmanya Tilak family. He had sought the party’s candidature in the state assembly election after the demise of his mother, who was then a sitting BJP legislator. Swarada Bapat – daughter in law of late BJP MP Girish Bapat, too made her entry into PMC. She had earlier tried her luck in the past in the Sangli Municipal Corporation. “We gave candidature to all category of citizens. There were newcomers, youths and experienced politicians as well. The voters showed confidence in them,” said Union minister Murlidhar Mohol of BJP.

Raghvendra Mankar, son of NCP leader Deepak Mankar, got elected as BJP candidate, while his step brother, Harshvardhan Mankar, has made it to PMC as NCP candidate. Their father Deepak Mankar is with NCP and was former deputy mayor of Pune city. “I was confident that both my sons contesting from different political parties will win the PMC elections. They have been working for the welfare of citizens in their respective wards,” said Deepak Mankar while celebrating victory of his sons in PMC election.

NCP(SP) legislator Bapu Pathare’s son Surendra Pathare and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Pathare were elected corporators in PMC on BJP tickets. Surendra’s cousin Trupti Bharane too has been elected as BJP corporator in the civic body.

For BJP, Nivedita Ekbote – daughter of former BJP corporator Jyotsana Ekbote, makes it to the elected body from the family that has been known as staunch follower of Hindutva ideology. Also, Apporva Khade, son of former BJP corporators Neelima Khade and Datta Khade, has become corporator in PMC to carry forward his parents legacy in city politics.

Former legislator Ravindra Dhangekar failed at a continuation to his political legacy in PMC after his son Pranav and wife Pratibha lost the election contesting on Shiv Sena tickets. The performances of Vasant More and his son Rupesh of Shiv Sena(UBT) in the PMC elections brought to an end the family’s presence in the civic body, where Vasant More had been a long time member as MNS corporator. Congress candidate Avinash Bagwe had taken the reins over from his father and former Congress minister Ramesh Bagwe in PMC. He had been elected to the civic body in the past but this time he and his wife Indra Bagwe lost the elections.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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