The stage is finally set for the high-stakes Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, with a crowded field of 1,165 candidates remaining in the contest after a frenetic final day of withdrawals. This follows weeks of political lobbying and a significant last-minute rush where nearly half of the original aspirants pulled out of the race.
A Frenetic Final Day of Withdrawals
Friday, the last day for candidates to withdraw, witnessed significant activity across ward offices. Senior functionaries from all major political parties were engaged in intense negotiations, primarily focused on convincing rebel party members and independent candidates to step back from the contest. This effort led to 969 candidatures being withdrawn over two days. Initially, a staggering 2,134 candidates had filed nomination papers, meaning approximately 45% decided to exit the poll ring.
Ward-wise Breakdown and Key Contests
The electoral landscape across Pune's 41 wards is highly varied. The Yerawada-Gandhinagar ward and the Phulenagar-Nagpur Chawl ward have emerged as the most contested, with 43 candidates each vying for seats. These wards encompass the city's western zones along Nagar Road and Airport Road, including densely populated areas like Nagpur Chawl.
In stark contrast, the Suncity-Manikbaug ward on Sinhagad Road has the lowest number of contestants, with just seven. In fact, this ward saw two BJP candidates elected unopposed after all other contenders withdrew on Friday, making it the only ward with fewer than 10 candidates in the fray.
Reasons Behind the Increased Candidature
This election sees a higher number of candidates compared to the previous PMC polls in 2017, which had 1,090 contestants. Political sources attribute this rise to two key factors: the significant nine-year gap between the polls (from 2017 to 2026) and the decision of major parties like the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP to contest the elections solo, without alliances. This has naturally led to a proliferation of candidates from these parties and increased independent participation.
Of the 165 corporator seats up for grabs, 40 wards will elect four corporators each, while the Ambegaon-Katraj ward will have five. The fate of the candidates will be decided by over 35.51 lakh registered voters across the city on January 15.
Administrative Preparations in Full Swing
Officials from the PMC's election office stated that the process of allotting symbols to independent candidates was completed on Saturday. The administration is also finalizing the polling station-wise voting lists, which are expected to be published in the coming days, ensuring all logistical arrangements are in place for a smooth election day.
