The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised to announce its first list of candidates for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections by this weekend, according to internal party sources. This move comes amid ongoing, yet stalled, negotiations with its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, over seat sharing for the crucial civic polls.
Seat-Sharing Stalemate and Sena's Discontent
While the BJP conducted a review meeting on Tuesday to shortlist strong contenders for winnable seats, the Shiv Sena continues to wait for a concrete response on the allocation of constituencies. Political sources indicate that the Sena camp is growing increasingly unhappy with the delay in finalizing the seat-sharing agreement.
The Shinde faction has put forward a proposal to contest at least 35 seats in the PMC elections, but the BJP has not yet provided a formal reply. A senior Sena leader revealed that while a preliminary joint meeting occurred a few days ago, no follow-up discussions have taken place since. The leader added that they expect another meeting soon and that Eknath Shinde will make a final decision on the number of seats the party will contest based on the BJP's response.
BJP's Ambitious Targets and Candidate Selection
The BJP has set an ambitious target for itself, aiming to secure over 100 seats in the 2017 polls. In preparation, the party has reportedly interviewed a staggering over 2,300 aspirants for candidacy. A senior BJP leader confidently stated the party's goal is to win more than 120 seats and dismissed any notions of significant differences with allies on seat sharing.
The candidate selection process is being meticulously planned. On Wednesday, BJP leaders assessed the party's strength in each Pune assembly constituency. The final list of candidates will be heavily influenced by which wards have a robust BJP voter base, ensuring the party fields its nominees where they stand the best chance of victory.
Historical Context and Campaign Leadership
In the previous 2017 PMC elections, the BJP's performance was notable, with the party winning four seats in 15 wards and three seats in seven wards. Overall, more than 80 corporators were elected from 22 wards during that poll.
For the upcoming campaign, the Shiv Sena is likely to be spearheaded in Pune by prominent local faces. Former corporator Nana Bhangire, former MLA Ravindra Dhangekar, and a former deputy mayor are expected to lead the Sena's electoral charge in the city, aiming to consolidate the party's presence.
As the weekend approaches, all eyes are on the BJP's initial candidate list, which will set the tone for the high-stakes PMC elections and potentially define the future dynamics of the ruling alliance in Pune's political arena.
