In a sharp political attack, Union Minister of State for Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on Thursday accused the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of fielding candidates with criminal backgrounds for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections. The BJP and the NCP are contesting independently against each other in the civic polls, despite being allies in the Maharashtra state government and at the Centre.
Allegations of Criminalization in Politics
Mohol, who is also the guardian minister of Pune, stated that maintaining law and order should be a priority. "Being the guardian minister of Pune, it is necessary to give priority to maintaining the law and order situation by controlling crime. Instead, look at the list of candidates of our rival (NCP). It is filled with persons of criminal background," he said.
He urged all political parties to seriously consider the situation and work towards keeping criminal elements out of politics. When questioned about the BJP's own candidate, Pratibha Chorghe, whose husband faces allegations of links to illegal activities, Mohol defended the selection. He stated that Chorghe is known for her social work and local popularity, and the party was unaware of any criminal background in her family.
BJP's Development Pitch and Alliance Dynamics
The Union minister emphasized that the Bharatiya Janata Party is contesting the elections solely on a development agenda. He expressed strong confidence that the next mayor of Pune would be from the BJP. Highlighting the party's commitment to women's representation, Mohol revealed that the BJP has fielded 92 women candidates for the 165 seats in the PMC.
On the contentious alliance talks with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Mohol provided details. He said the BJP desired an alliance, but the Shiv Sena fielded more candidates than anticipated, leading the BJP to do the same. "We offered 16 seats but the Shiv Sena wanted 25 seats, which was not acceptable," he explained.
He noted that the BJP, which had 105 corporators in the previous PMC general body, naturally staked claim to more seats. In contrast, the Shiv Sena, with just one former corporator, wanted to contest from several seats. Mohol expressed hope that the alliance with the Shiv Sena would survive the civic polls, and a consensus would be reached by the state leadership by Friday, allowing both parties to withdraw candidates where necessary.
The Political Battle for Pune
The public exchange underscores the intense and bitter fight brewing between the Mahayuti alliance partners ahead of the crucial January 2026 civic polls. While they share power at higher levels of government, the battle for control of Pune's civic body has turned fiercely competitive. The BJP is positioning itself as the party of development and clean politics, directly contrasting itself with the NCP's candidate selection. The outcome of these elections will be a significant indicator of political influence in Maharashtra's cultural and educational capital.
