The political landscape in Pune witnessed a flurry of activity on Monday as candidates filed their nominations for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not release an official list, a significant number of its former corporators and local leaders submitted their papers, setting the stage for a competitive poll.
Nominations Filed Amid Alliance Uncertainty
Over 100 BJP candidates filed their nominations on Monday. In a notable shift, the party has opted for many new faces, choosing not to renew tickets for several former corporators who held key positions. These dropped members had served on important committees like the standing committee, the law committee, and the women and child welfare committee.
The suspense around the BJP's alliance with its 'Mahayuti' partner, Shiv Sena, continued as no official announcement was made. BJP functionary Ganesh Bidkar stated that the party would announce its candidate list soon and that discussions with the Sena were still in progress. However, a significant gap exists in their negotiations: Shiv Sena is demanding 35 seats, while the BJP is only willing to offer 18.
Shiv Sena Files Papers as a Backup Plan
Given the stalled talks, Shiv Sena leaders decided to proceed independently as a contingency measure. Pramod (Nana) Bhangire, the chief of Shiv Sena's Pune city unit, revealed that 60 of their candidates filed nominations across various city wards on Monday. He confirmed that the alliance had not been finalised, prompting their decision to file papers to secure their position.
Internal Dissent and Defections Surface
Sources indicate that the senior BJP leadership deliberately delayed announcing the candidate list until the last moment to prevent potential rebellion within the party ranks. This strategy comes amid visible discontent. Several party aspirants were reportedly agitated because the party overlooked them and instead distributed tickets to newly inducted leaders from other political parties.
The party's A and B forms, which authenticate a candidate's party affiliation, were distributed quietly to avoid drawing attention to these contentious decisions. The discontent has already led to defections. Five former BJP corporators, after being denied tickets, have joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
An upset aspirant voiced the sentiment of many loyal workers, saying, "Many party workers dedicated their time to the party. But even in its stronghold areas, the party gave tickets to candidates who joined just days before the allocation. This is an injustice to loyal party workers."
Tuesday is the final day for filing nominations for the PMC elections, marking a critical deadline for all parties to finalise their candidates and strategies amidst the ongoing political manoeuvring.
