PMC polls: With over 2,000 aspirants, city BJP faces a ‘problem of plenty’
In the Assembly elections held last year, the BJP won all the six Assembly seats it contested. It also won the Pune Lok Sabha seat last year.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had dropped sitting MP Poonam Mahajan from Mumbai North Central constituency and instead, fielded noted lawyer Ujjwal Nikkam. (File Photo)
Confident of continuing its dominance in city politics and once again holding power in the Pune civic body, the city BJP is facing a ‘problem of plenty’ as far as aspirants are concerned for the 165 corporator seats in the municipal corporation and is cautious in its strategy to avoid rebellion in the party.
The city BJP had sought applications from aspirants for the PMC elections for which voting is on January 15 and results will be declared on January 16. The BJP for the first time had gained power in PMC in 2017 elections by winning 98 seats. However, civic polls have not taken place thereafter in the city.
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In the Assembly elections held last year, the BJP won all the six Assembly seats it contested. It also won the Pune Lok Sabha seat last year.
The BJP is upbeat and has received over 2,000 applications from aspirants, from within the party and even from other political parties of the Mahayuti as well as Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). “The interviews of aspirants have been done. The probable list of candidates has been sent to the state unit which will discuss and finalise it,” a BJP leader said.
There are 98 former corporators from the previous general body who too have staked claim for party candidature, he said, adding, “There are many strong aspirants of other political parties who have conveyed their intention to contest the polls on BJP ticket.”
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There are aspirants from the alliance partners of BJP as well as from rival parties including Congress and NCP (SP).
The BJP leader said the party is cautious and is likely to declare its candidates on the last day of filing of nominations on December 30 to avoid any rebellion that would affect its prospects. The PMC will elect 165 corporators for the next five-year term from 41 electoral wards, four each from 40 wards and five from one ward.
Union minister Murlidhar Mohol said the BJP is contesting the Pune civic polls in alliance with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. “We have initiated discussions but seat-sharing has to be finalised,” he said.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had dropped sitting MP Poonam Mahajan from Mumbai North Central constituency and instead, fielded noted lawyer Ujjwal Nikkam. (File Photo) 
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