In Pune city, 8 seats at stake for candidates — sitting seat, family hold, political future

In Hadapsar, sitting legislator of NCP Chetan Tupe, whose father was Vithal Tupe was the Pune city MP, is eyeing to retain his family’s hold in the constituency.

NCP (SP)’s Ashwini Kadam(left) and BJP MLA Madhuri Misal. (Image: Instagram)

As the results for the Maharashtra Assembly elections are to be announced on Saturday, a lot is at stake for all the key candidates in the eight Assembly constituencies in Pune city.

In a first, the sitting legislators are contesting to retain the seat in all the eight constituencies. For many of them, this election is also important to retain the hold of their families too in their respective seats.

“The BJP was likely to change candidates in a few seats to give opportunity to leaders who have joined from other parties. But to avoid any risk in the current political situation, they have retained the sitting MLAs. This has also posed a challenge for those contesting for another term to prove their significance and retain their family clout,” political observer Sunil Kunjir said.

In the Parvati constituency, sitting BJP MLA Madhuri Misal is contesting for a fourth consecutive term. Misal’s husband, BJP leader Satish Misal, had passed away few years ago. Her brother-in-law Baba Misal is also a BJP leader.

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Her contender NCP (SP)’s Ashwini Kadam is contesting for the second time from the seat. For Congress rebel Ulhas Bagul, who is also contesting from Parvati, it is an attempt to prove his significance.

Similarly, in Khadakwasla seat, sitting BJP legislator Bhimrao Tapkir is contesting for a fourth term.

Initally, the party was not sure of fielding him in this election but to avoid any risk, the BJP named him as the candidate for a fourth time.

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Sachin Dodke of NCP (SP) has managed to get party ticket for the second consecutive time from Khadakwasla despite his defeat in the 2019 Assembly polls. So this election is considered as a last opportunity for him to win the seat.

Political observer Suresh Chavan said that there are two sitting legislators whose fathers were city MPs.

“Candidates from established political families are under pressure to keep alive their clout”, he said.

In Hadapsar, sitting legislator of NCP Chetan Tupe, whose father was Vithal Tupe was the Pune city MP, is eyeing to retain his family’s hold in the constituency.

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In Shivajinagar, sitting BJP legislator Siddharth Shirole is in fray for second consecutive time. His father Anil Shirole ia former city MP.

In Pune Cantonment, sitting legislator Sunil Kamble is contesting for the second time in constituency which was held by his brother Dilip Kamble. Congress has fielded Ramesh Bagwe, a two-time legislator, who is hoping to wrest the seat.

In Vadgaonsheri, sitting NCP legislator Sunil Tingre is contesting against NCP (SP)’s Bapu Pathare, a former legislator who also belongs to a political family.

BJP’s Chandrakant Patil, who is from Kolhapur, is contesting for a second term from Kothrud in an attempt to get rid of his “outsider” tag.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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