A BJP candidate’s “unopposed” victory from Bhosari area for the second successive time has raised eyebrows in political circles of Pimpri-Chinchwad. While the BJP hailed the victory of Ravi Landge — its first winner in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) polls, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP said it was clueless as to why its candidate did not file the nomination form. The Pimpri-Chinchwad unit of the AAP has urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to initiate a probe to find out how this has happened for the second time.
“I have no clue what happened in Bhosari and who our candidate was,” NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad president Yogesh Behl told The Indian Express. Behl said another party leader, Ajit Gavhane, was asked by the party president to handle the candidature in the Bhosari Assembly segment.
When contacted, Gavhane too said he was not in a position to explain why the party candidate did not file nomination papers. “I think our Pimpri-Chinchwad president knows it… You can ask him about it,” he said.
An NCP leader said, “It is surprising that when there was overwhelming demand from aspirants for contesting, the party has not fielded a candidate from Bhosari. Our party needs to explain this to the voters.”
Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar said, “There were three candidates in the fray in the Dhavadevasti ward of PCMC. Of these, two candidates have withdrawn from the race. The only candidate remaining in the fray was Ravi Landge, whose election now is unopposed.” Election officials said a final declaration will be made on January 16.
Besides Landge, his wife and Prasad Kate had filed their nominations papers. The latter had filed their nominations as independents while Landge was the official BJP candidate. Landge had joined the BJP just a few days back. He was with the Shiv Sena (UBT).
Speaking to reporters after withdrawing his nomination on Thursday, Kate denied he opted out of the race due to pressure from the BJP. “I withdrew from the race on my own because of our long friendly relations with the Landge family. And also because Ravi Landge has promised he will appoint me as in-charge of the ward and implement development projects that I wanted to do,” he said.
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BJP MLA Mahesh Landge, who was looking after party’s affairs in the Bhosari Assembly segment, said, “Our party’s official candidate Ravi Landge has been elected unopposed from Bhosari Prabhag Number 6. Political parties could not field any candidate against him. And the independent candidates withdrew from the race. Now only official announcement of his unopposed election remains.”
Landge claimed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had directed them to keep political rivalry aside and work unitedly for the development of Bhosari area. “Accordingly, Ravi Landge was given entry into the BJP and now he has been elected unopposed. It is a special moment for us,” he said.
The MLA said, “Besides the BJP, like-minded parties had taken efforts to ensure Ravi Landge’s victory. This is the first victory in the PCMC polls.” He claimed all 128 candidates fielded by the BJP are strong and would emerge victorious. “The opposition has not been able to field candidates in all wards. On the issue of development, the BJP is the number one party, which has been proved once again,” he said.
AAP spokesperson Mukund Kirdat said, “Bhosari area is known for musclemen who terrorise people. In political circles, it is being said aspirants are not allowed to file forms in some areas of Bhosari Assembly segment. The State Election Commission has been harping on free and fair elections, but there are doubts among political circles over the successive unopposed election. The SEC should pro-actively investigate this matter rather than waiting for someone to lodge a complaint.”
Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis.
Professional Legacy
Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles.
Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change.
Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities.
Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees.
Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area:
1. Political Shifts & Alliances
"Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala.
"BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls.
"Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections.
"NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections.
2. Civic & Administrative Accountability
"PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions.
"93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads.
3. Social & Labor Issues
"As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra.
"Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse.
Signature Beat
Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport.
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