In a significant pre-election manoeuvre, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has delivered a powerful counterpunch in the Pimpri-Chinchwad political arena. On Saturday, the party successfully inducted 20 former corporators from the industrial township, a move directly responding to recent defections to the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
A Direct Political Retort
The mass induction, held in Mumbai in the presence of state BJP president Ravindra Chavan, is seen as a direct retaliation. BJP MLA from Bhosari, Mahesh Landge, explicitly framed it as a strong reply to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. "A few days ago, Ajit Pawar had inducted a few former BJP corporators into his party. We have responded strongly," Landge stated.
Using festive analogies, Landge added, "Diwali had begun in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Ajit Pawar had burst small crackers…we have burst bigger ones." He further framed the upcoming civic polls as a clash of titans, suggesting political analysts view it as "Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Dada versus Baramati’s Dada."
Prominent Names Among the Defectors
The list of new entrants is packed with influential local figures, dealing a substantial blow to the opposition camp. The bulk of the defections, 12 former corporators, came from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
Prominent NCP leaders who switched sides include:
- Usha Waghere, former chairperson of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Standing Committee.
- Prashant Shitole, another former PCMC Standing Committee chief.
- Prabhakar Waghere, former deputy mayor.
- Raju Misal, former mayor.
- Other notable names like Vinod Nade, Sameer Masulkar, and Navnath Jagtap.
The crossover was not limited to the NCP. The BJP also welcomed leaders from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), including Sanjog Waghere, Amit Gawade, Meenaltai Yadav, and Ravi Landge. In a notable move, former Congress corporator Sadguru Kadam, brother of the local Congress unit president Kailas Kadam, also joined the BJP.
Alliance Dynamics and Reactions
This large-scale poaching has stirred the waters within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. State NCP president Sunil Tatkare revealed that the issue of inducting each other's leaders had been discussed with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and BJP leaders, with a decision made to avoid such actions. "We will hold a discussion in this regard again," Tatkare stated when contacted, indicating the matter will be revisited.
The BJP, however, appeared jubilant. In a press release, the party claimed, "For all these entries, no one had to slog. Mahesh Landge has virtually floored the NCP." It also acknowledged the support of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and party chief Ravindra Chavan for Landge's efforts.
This political drama, unfolding just ahead of the crucial civic body elections, underscores the intense battle for dominance in the Pune Metropolitan Region. The defection of such a large group of experienced corporators significantly alters the local equations, potentially boosting the BJP's ground-level strength while testing the cohesion of the ruling alliance.
