In a dramatic prelude to the upcoming civic elections, a significant number of former elected representatives in Pimpri Chinchwad have switched their political loyalties, leaving voters bewildered. As many as 21 former corporators who were elected to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) back in 2017 are now seeking votes from the same electorate, but under different party symbols.
Political Musical Chairs: Who Switched Where?
The wave of defections has swept across major parties, further muddying the political waters already churned by the splits in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena. The NCP has absorbed the highest number of turncoats, with nine former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporators and two from the Shiv Sena now contesting on its ticket. Not to be outdone, the BJP has welcomed seven former NCP and three Shiv Sena corporators into its fold.
Prominent figures, including former deputy mayors and standing committee chairpersons, are among those who changed sides. In a notable family-centric move, Shiv Sena's ex-corporator Sachin Bhosale switched to the NCP and has fielded his wife from a seat reserved for women.
Last-Minute Switches and Voter Bewilderment
Many of these switches occurred just days before the polls, often after the leaders were denied tickets by their original parties or anticipated being dropped. Furthermore, several candidates who secured second or third positions in the 2017 elections, and found themselves sidelined this time by new party aspirants, have also jumped the fence to contest against their former parties.
The situation on the ground is one of palpable confusion. Dattatray Deshmukh, a resident of Wakad, encapsulated the sentiment, stating, "Voters do not even know which party their local leader is currently associated with. Some are unaware of key contestants in their wards, and with only a few days left before voting, it is unlikely they will get to know much about the contestants."
Analysts Weigh In: Alliances vs. Individual Clout
Poll observers suggest that while the defections may not directly alter every candidate's fate, they are likely to confuse a significant segment of the electorate that votes for party symbols rather than individuals. The turmoil within the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliances, where partners are contesting against each other in various local bodies, adds another layer of complexity.
Political analyst Parimal Maya Sudhakar, an associate professor at MIT School of Government, offered his perspective. On voter sentiment towards turncoats, he noted, "Voters not aligned to a particular party might not vote for the candidates who switch sides, but currently there seems to be little or no anger against turncoats."
Regarding the impact of confusing alliances, he downplayed their significance, recalling, "Even when the Congress and the NCP were in power in the state, they contested local elections separately or often in alliance with rival parties. I do not think these alliances will have much impact on results as, in most cases, the local body elections are person-specific and not party-specific."
The final count of such switching candidates is even higher, as some are contesting as independents. As Pimpri Chinchwad heads to the polls, the electorate is left to navigate a political landscape where familiar faces wear new colours, and traditional alliances are in flux, making for one of the most unpredictable civic contests in recent memory.
