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BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP, MLA Mahesh Landge says Ajit Pawar given a befitting reply

The former Pimpri-Chinchwad corporators who joined include leaders from the NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Congress.

3 min readPuneUpdated: Dec 20, 2025 10:26 PM IST

BJP, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Ajit Pawar, NCP, civic polls, Mahesh Landge, Ravindra Chavan, Usha Waghere,

Among the NCP leaders who were inducted into the BJP were big names like former Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Standing Committee chairperson Usha Waghere. (Express photo)

The BJP today roped in as many as 13 former corporators of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation which includes at least nine from Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Expressing happiness at the mass induction of leaders, especially from NCP, the BJP said it has given Ajit Pawar’s party a befitting reply after it had roped in three of its corporators.

The event to induct former corporators, which was until Friday kept a hush-hush affair, was held in Mumbai in the presence of BJP state president Ravindra Chavan and other leaders.

Among those the BJP roped in on Saturday included former mayor Sanjog Waghere, who was with Shiv Sena (UBT), former PCMC standing committee chairperson Usha Waghere, who was with NCP, former civic standing committee chairperson Prashant Shitole of NCP, Vinod Nade who is from NCP, former deputy mayor Prabhakar Waghere who is from NCP, former mayor Raju Misal of NCP, Amit Gawade from Shiv Sena (UBT), Meenaltai Yadav of Shiv Sena (UBT), Ravi Landge of Shiv Sena (UBT), Sameer Masulkar of NCP and Navnath Jagtap of NCP.

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Beside them, Sadguru Kadam, a former Congress corporator and brother of Kailas Kadam, president of Pimpri-Chinchwad unit of Congress, has also joined the BJP.

An elated BJP MLA Mahesh Landge said, ”A few days ago, Ajit Pawar had inducted a few former corporators of BJP into its fold. We have responded strongly and have inducted as many as 23 bigwigs from different parties into our rank.” Of the 23, while 13 are former corporators, the rest are leaders from other parties. One of them is Dr Suhas Kamble, a popular doctor.

Stating that Diwali has started in Pimpri-Chinchwad, the MLA said, ”Ajit Pawar had burst small crackers and we have burst bigger ones. This election will be Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Dada versus Baramati’s Dada. This is what political analysts are saying.”

The BJP said, “For all these entries, none had to slog. The BJP took its decision in the city and finalised here itself. Mahesh Landge has virtually floored NCP. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and party chief Ravindra Chavan are supporting him.”

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BJP’s Pimpri-Chinchwad president Shatrughan Kate said, “All these former corporators have come into our party fold on their own. They wanted to join our party. We have taken them in the party. As of now, I can’t say whether there will be more former corporators joining us. It might happen, it might not.”

A few days back, three former BJP corporators had joined NCP in the presence of Ajit Pawar. This had irked the BJP which hit back today.

When contacted, NCP state president Sunil Tatkare said: “We had discussed this issue with the chief minister and other BJP leaders. We had decided not to take each other’s leaders. We will again have discussion in this regard.”

Reacting to BJP’s remarks about hitting back, Yogesh Behl, president, Pimpri-Chinchwad NCP, said, “Leaders come and leaders go. What is important is how the voters react. The voter is the king. It won’t matter to us…We will also give a good reply to BJP. Wait and watch.”

Manoj Dattatrye More

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. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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