Pawars Lose Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad Bastions Despite Reunion, BJP Sweeps

In the 165-member Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the BJP emerged as the clear frontrunner, winning 122 seats and crossing the majority mark with ease. The NCP secured 20 seats, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) won three, while the Congress finished with 15 seats. The Shiv Sena failed to win a single seat, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) managed just one.

The BJP’s tally represents a significant improvement over the 2017 civic polls, when the party had won 97 seats in alliance with the Republican Party of India (RPI). In contrast, the united NCP, which had secured 39 seats in 2017, suffered a steep decline this time despite Ajit Pawar’s faction and Sharad Pawar’s group contesting together. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which had opened its account in the previous election, failed to win any seat.

The scale of the BJP’s victory was reinforced in neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad, where the party won 84 of the 128 seats, securing a clear majority on its own. The NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) followed with 37 seats, while the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) won six seats, including one independent supported by the BJP. The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS failed to win a single seat in the industrial township.