Ahead of Maharashtra civic polls, a setback to BJP as Jalindar Kamthe joins Ajit Pawar-led NCP

An influential leader in rural Pune, Kamthe was the president of Pune Zila Parishad in the past. His wife, too, was the president of Pune Zila Parishad.

He, along with his wife, joined the NCP in the presence of Ajit Pawar at a function in the city on Friday.

“I welcome Kamthe and his supporters to the NCP. His leadership will strengthen the party base in Pune district. There will be more leaders of other parties joining the NCP soon,” Pawar said after inducting Kamath.

Kamthe’s induction to the NCP will also help the party establish its hold in the Purandar Assembly constituency, where it was in the third position after the Shiv Sena and Congress in the state elections last year.

Kamthe said he has worked with the NCP in the past and wants to help the party retain power in the Pune Zila Parishad. “The Pune district has progressed under the leadership of Ajit Pawar. We want it to continue further in the interest of the district,” he said.

From Congress to NCP to BJP

Kamthe started his career as a Congress leader under the guidance of Sharad Pawar and Ramkrishna More. He later followed Pawar after the formation of the NCP and was instrumental in helping the party win 53 of the 55 seats in the Pune Zila Parishad. He joined the BJP ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, hoping to enter state politics from the Purandar constituency, but the seat was contested by the Shiv Sena and NCP in the Mahayuti alliance.

Incidentally, a few months ago, his political rival and former Congress legislator, Sanjay Jagtap, joined the BJP, which upset him. The BJP leaders were seen giving more importance to Jagtap, as he was the president of the Pune district Congress before joining the BJP. It had been hoping to expand the party’s base in the Assembly segments of the Baramati Lok Sabha seat.

Additionally, the BJP recruited senior Congress leader Sangram Thopte, who had represented the Bhor Assembly constituency for a long time. Thopte is considered a staunch opponent of Pawar. The party also recently inducted Pravin Mane, a supporter of Pawar, who is influential in the Indapur assembly constituency in the party.