Sudhir Mungantiwar's Political Phoenix Rise in Chandrapur
For Ballarpur MLA and BJP stalwart Sudhir Mungantiwar, the Chandrapur mayoral election has served as a dramatic resurgence, lifting him from the political ashes like a phoenix. Against all odds, Mungantiwar masterfully secured both the mayor and deputy mayor positions without commanding the single largest party in the civic body. This remarkable feat is widely credited to his sharp political acumen and street-smart maneuvering, which caught the Congress off guard despite their numerical advantage.
A Series of Political Setbacks
Mungantiwar's political fortunes began to wane significantly when he was nominated as the BJP candidate for Chandrapur's Lok Sabha seat in 2024. While such a nomination might typically be viewed as a career peak, for Mungantiwar it meant stepping away from the state political arena where he had long been a key player. Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigning for him at a rally, Mungantiwar suffered a crushing defeat to Congress candidate Pratibha Dhanorkar, losing by a humiliating margin of 2.6 lakh votes.
The setbacks continued as Maharashtra headed into assembly polls shortly thereafter. Mungantiwar faced another hurdle with the entry of Independent sitting Chandrapur MLA Kishor Jorgewar into the BJP. Unlike many BJP leaders who quietly accept such decisions under the Modi-Amit Shah leadership, Mungantiwar openly criticized the move, even traveling to Delhi in an unsuccessful attempt to block Jorgewar's induction. This public dissent further eroded his political stature.
Although Mungantiwar managed to win his assembly seat in October 2024, he was shocked to find himself excluded from the state cabinet, continuing what seemed like an irreversible downward spiral.
Strategic Shift and Isolation
The year 2025 brought no relief, with the BJP leadership preoccupied with alliance dynamics rather than addressing internal demands. This political isolation prompted Mungantiwar to change tactics during the Nagpur winter assembly session in December. His speeches and questions on the floor of the House increasingly resembled those of an opposition leader rather than a member of the ruling benches.
Perhaps to grant him some leeway and operational space, the party allowed Mungantiwar greater influence in candidate selection for the civic body polls held last month. When results were declared, Mungantiwar's legendary street fighter mode was fully activated. The veteran leader thrives on back-room politics and crafting against-all-odds strategies, and he rose spectacularly to the occasion.
The Masterstroke in Mayoral Politics
Mungantiwar's target was reaching the magic figure of 34 votes in the mayoral election, despite having only 23 of his own BJP corporators and one from pre-poll ally Shinde Sena. The kingmaker in this equation was the Sena UBT-Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) alliance, whose state-level partner Congress had initially offered the mayor's post to UBT, seemingly sealing the deal.
However, Mungantiwar spotted a critical opening: a rift between Congress factions in Chandrapur led by MLA Vijay Wadettiwar and MP Pratibha Dhanorkar, both vying for control over the civic body on behalf of their party. This internal conflict meant UBT could not secure the firm commitment it needed for the mayor's position.
As the election date approached, Mungantiwar recognized the perfect timing for intervention. He offered UBT the mayor's post on a 50:50 tenure-sharing basis and allocated the deputy mayor's position to Independent corporator Prashant Danao. Another independent, Nandu Nagarkar, also sided with the BJP and is reportedly likely to be accommodated in the standing committee.
On Tuesday, when the BJP scraped through with a one-vote victory, it narrated the compelling story of one man's resilience—Sudhir Mungantiwar, who survived and bounced back against formidable odds, reaffirming his political relevance through strategic brilliance.
