BJP's Ravi Landge Set to Become PCMC Mayor Unopposed as NCP Skips Contest
In a significant political development in Pimpri Chinchwad, BJP corporator Ravi Landge from ward 6 is all set to be elected as the mayor of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) without any opposition. This comes after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) decided not to field a candidate for the mayoral position, citing the recent demise of their party president and deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar.
Nomination Process and Deputy Mayor Contest
On Monday, during the nomination filing window from 3 PM to 5 PM, only one nomination was submitted for the mayor's post—that of Ravi Landge. However, the race for deputy mayor promises to be more competitive. BJP's Sharmila Babar and NCP's Vaishali Kalbhor have both filed their nominations, setting the stage for a voting process scheduled for February 6. This date coincides with the first general body meeting of the civic body, where official announcements for both positions will be made.
Mukesh Kolap, the PCMC municipal secretary, confirmed the details, stating, "Only one nomination was received for mayor's post, while two nominations were filed for that of deputy mayor. A general body meeting to elect mayor and deputy mayor has been convened on Feb 6."
Political Dynamics and Cross-Voting Prospects
Despite the BJP holding a clear majority with 83 seats in the 128-member house, the NCP is not backing down without a fight. The party is reportedly counting on potential cross-voting to sway the deputy mayor election in their favor. Vaishali Kalbhor, when questioned about her strategy given BJP's numerical advantage, remarked, "Anything can happen in an election. I filed my papers only after I received a call from NCP's city president."
On the BJP side, the selection process for candidates was not without its internal discussions. According to party sources, the state president had initially named Sheetal alias Vijay Shinde as the nominee for deputy mayor. However, Shinde declined, expressing aspirations for the mayor's post instead. This led to the finalization of Sharmila Babar's candidacy after Shinde refused to file his nomination.
Ravi Landge's Political Background
Ravi Landge, who is set to become Pimpri Chinchwad's 27th mayor, brings a wealth of experience to the role. He previously served as the standing committee chairperson and has been elected as a corporator unopposed for the second consecutive time. This achievement followed the withdrawal of his rival candidates on the last day of nomination withdrawal. Landge is also the nephew of the late Ankushrao Landge, a former city president of BJP's Pimpri Chinchwad unit, who played a pivotal role in expanding the party's presence in the twin city.
Prashant Shitole, the BJP corporator elected as the party's group leader in PCMC, commented on the selection, saying, "Ravi Landge's name was finalised by the party's senior leadership." He added that since the elections for mayor and deputy mayor are being held after 6.5 years, there were several hopefuls, but the leadership had to choose only one name for each post. A decision on the nominee for standing committee chairperson is expected to be made in the coming two weeks.
This election marks a crucial moment for PCMC's governance, with all eyes on the February 6 meeting to see how the political landscape unfolds, particularly in the deputy mayor contest where NCP hopes to challenge BJP's dominance.
