Pune units of BJP, NCP push for contesting PMC elections independently

Administrators govern most of the civic bodies in the state due to the delay in electing representatives because of petitions filed about reservations for civic polls. The PMC has been under administrative rule since the five-year term of the previous elected body ended on March 14, 2022.

Pune city BJP chief Dheeraj Ghate said that the party has focused on strengthening its base in the city in the last six months. “We won 100 of the 164 seats in the previous PMC elections. Five former corporators of other political parties have joined BJP, taking the tally to 105 members of the previous elected body in the party. Thus, we are ready to contest the civic polls on our own, but the final decision will be taken at the state level,” he said.

Ghate also said that the BJP had won both the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Pune last year.

The main rival of the ruling BJP in the previous term was the united NCP. Most former NCP corporators are now with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The NCP held power in the PMC from 2007 to 2017 before being ousted by the BJP.

“It is our responsibility to provide efficient corporators for PMC. Citizens could not get good civic services during the rule of the administrator. We are ready to contest independently. However, the decision on alliance will be taken by the NCP chief,” said city NCP chief Deepak Mankar.

City Shiv Sena chief Pramod Bhangire said there were irregularities during the administrator’s rule in PMC, and citizens could not get the best services. “The PMC elections are important for citizens of Pune as they would give a push to the development of the city,” he said.

The Opposition parties, too, are keen to go solo in civic polls. “We are ready to contest PMC elections independently but will accept the decision on pre-poll alliance taken by the top leadership,” said city Congress chief Arvind Shinde.

The NCP (SP) said the party would bring out the irregularities in the rule of administration under the Mahayuti alliance. “The Supreme Court decision on holding civic polls has stalled the plan of ruling the Mahayuti alliance by ignoring public opinion,” said city NCP (SP) chief Prashant Jagtap.

City Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Sanjay More said the party is prepared to contest the PMC polls independently, but the leadership will decide.

Seats won by parties in PMC elections 2017