In a significant political development ahead of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, three close family members of a Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) legislator have been fielded as candidates by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This move sets the stage for a unique intra-family political contest against the alliance their patriarch represents.
A Family's Political Shift Ahead of Civic Polls
NCP(SP) MLA Bapu Pathare's son, daughter-in-law, and nephew's wife will contest the upcoming PMC polls on BJP tickets. The elections are scheduled for January 15, 2026. Pathare himself represents the Vadgaonsheri assembly constituency, having been elected in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
His son, Surendra Pathare, has been fielded by the BJP from the Kharadi-Wagholi ward. In an adjoining ward, Vimannagar, the party has given a ticket to Pathare's daughter-in-law, Aishwarya Pathare. Furthermore, Trupti Bharane, the wife of Pathare's nephew, will also contest from the Kharadi-Wagholi ward. All these wards fall within the Vadgaonsheri assembly constituency that Bapu Pathare represents.
Bapu Pathare's Political Journey and Family Stance
The veteran politician's career has seen several party affiliations. Bapu Pathare began his political career with the Congress party. He was first elected as a PMC corporator in 2007, but on a ticket from the NCP. He ascended to the position of MLA in 2009, again on an NCP ticket.
After losing to a party candidate in 2014, he switched his allegiance to the BJP. Ahead of the critical 2024 state elections, Pathare joined the NCP(SP) and successfully secured his assembly seat once again. Until recently, his entire family was aligned with the NCP(SP).
The shift occurred when the BJP inducted Surendra Pathare into the party after he sought a ticket from the NCP(SP). The BJP's decision to field three family members creates a complex scenario where the legislator's kin are contesting against the coalition he is part of.
MLA Distances Himself from Family's Electoral Foray
Addressing the unusual situation, Bapu Pathare clarified his position. He stated that while he is an MLA elected on an NCP(SP) ticket, his son and other family members are independent individuals capable of making their own decisions. He explicitly said he would not campaign for them as they are now candidates of a rival political party.
This development is particularly notable because the BJP is the principal opponent of the NCP-NCP(SP) alliance in the high-stakes Pune civic polls. The move highlights the intense political maneuvering and candidate poaching that characterizes elections in the region, often blurring traditional party lines and familial loyalties.
The upcoming January 15 elections will now be closely watched not only for the overall results but also for the performance of this politically divided family, testing both voter allegiance and the dynamics of local political equations in Pune.
