Pune: Direct contest between two women candidates on Parvati seat

The constituency covers areas like Vitthalwadi, Bibvewadi, Parvati gaon, Laxmi Nagar, Maharshi Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar and Dattavadi. The BJP made inroads in this segment in the last 10 years with Misal winning in 2009 and 2014.

Madhuri Misal (L) and Ashwini Kadam.

Parvati assembly constituency in Pune is gearing up to witness a direct fight between two women candidates from the BJP and NCP. While BJP sitting MLA Madhuri Misal sounded confident of winning for the third time, her rival NCP’s Ashwini Kadam has sorted out priorities for her poll campaigns.

Historically, Parvati assembly constituency has been a Congress bastion ever since it came into existence after the 1972 assembly elections. The constituency covers areas like Vitthalwadi, Bibvewadi, Parvati gaon, Laxmi Nagar, Maharshi Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar and Dattavadi. The BJP made inroads in this segment in the last 10 years with Misal winning in 2009 and 2014.

Misal, whose days are busy with padyatras and home visits, is now looking forward to rallies by senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 17 at S P College.

It might not be an easy sailing for Misal as many residents in the area are upset over the lack of development works in the constituency. Slum rehabilitation issue, overflowing garbage, old drainage system are some of the issues that face the administration and memories of the recent flash floods are still vivid among residents. Water from the overflowing Ambil Odha gushed into slum areas and housing societies in Aranyashewar, Duttawadi and Sahakarnagar.

Kiran Velhankar, a resident of Sahkarnagar near Treasure Parkwho saw her two cars submerged under water, said, “This is a man-made disaster. How do I know the new candidate will work for the area’s development? For two days, the corporation authorities helped and then they said the water in the basement is your society’s problem. What about the damages to our vehicles?”

Purva Paranjape, one of the owners of Tribe Chatari Outlet at Parvati, said that parking was a huge problem in the area. “After the rain, traffic congestion is a nightmare,” she said.

“I visited at least 60-70 places that were affected and even dispatched machinery meant for Metro development so that the debris could be removed. There may have been a delay but work has been completed and it is natural for people to be upset as their homes have been submerged…,” said Misal.

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NCP’s Kadam, who had witnessed water seeping into her house during the floods and herself was diagnosed with dengue, said she will push for action against nullah encroachments, take up efforts for slum hygiene and to eliminate traffic congestion at Swargate.

“Prior to monsoon, maintenance work are undertaken like cleaning drainage chambers and drainage lines. All the debris have to be removed so that there is a smooth flow of rainwater. Why were these works not undertaken and why did the BJP corporators not look into these issues before the monsoon season?” she asked.

While there are 11candidates in the fray, including Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’s Rushikesh Nangare Patil and Aam Aadmi Party’s Sandeep Sonawane, the NCP top brass is hoping that Aba Bagul, a senior Congress leader who was among the hopefuls for a ticket from this constituency and had even filed his nomination (which he withdrew later), would campaign for the alliance candidate. NCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan, who has been holding meetings with the NCP and Congress workers, said that Aba Bagul may have been upset for a few days but now he needs to support the alliance candidate. The NCP has also planned roadshows by senior leaders Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More