Mahayuti aims to win all eight assembly seats in Pune city: Murlidhar Mohol

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has entrusted Pune Member of Parliament (MP) and minister of state for civil aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, with significant responsibilities in the upcoming assembly elections. Following the passing away of senior leader Girish Bapat, Mohol has emerged as a key figure with national stature, assuming control of Pune BJP. Positioned as a prominent Maratha face for the party amid ongoing agitations led by Manoj Jarange Patil over Maratha reservations, Mohol spoke to HT on the election and Pune’s development.

Excerpts from the interview:

Despite the peak election season, core issues in Pune—such as the new airport, ring road, metro extension, and other infrastructure projects—are absent from the campaign, with the focus shifting to popular schemes and allegations. Why are citizens’ concerns sidelined?

BJP and the Mahayuti alliance are primarily development-oriented, unlike the opposition, which relies on false promises and misguidance. We focus on what we’ve achieved for the city. In every speech, I highlight our work over the last decade. For instance, since I became the minister, Pune airport has been upgraded significantly, with international flights already operational, and plans are underway for more. Metro Phase 1 is complete, and numerous flyover and road projects are in progress. Even during the prime minister’s recent visit, his speech emphasised development in Pune, detailing contributions from the central government, along with deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar who discuss ongoing state projects.

Western Maharashtra has long been a Congress-NCP stronghold. How do you view BJP’s progress in the region?

Western Maharashtra was indeed once dominated by Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), but since 2014, the landscape has shifted in our favour. With Ajit Pawar’s faction of NCP joining the Mahayuti, our influence in Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, and Pune districts has strengthened. Both Chhatrapatis (descendants of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) from Satara are with us. Of the 58 seats across these districts, I am confident we will secure 42 or more.

In Pune district, BJP is strong in the city, while NCP has influence in rural areas. Sharad Pawar is receiving substantial support across Maharashtra. What’s your assessment of Mahayuti’s prospects in Pune city and district?

Pune district has 21 seats, of which 17 belong to Mahayuti. We have strong dominance in the district. In the city, we aim to win all eight assembly seats. Mahayuti party workers—across BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP—are working cohesively, unlike Congress, where multiple rebel candidates are contesting.

There were tensions between NCP and BJP in Wadgaonsheri, with discussions around a friendly contest. Can you elaborate?

In alliances, each party naturally desires a seat, but once seat-sharing is finalised, we ensure unity. Jagdish Mulik is actively campaigning in Wadgaonsheri, and in Hadapsar, BJP’s Yogesh Tilekar is supporting NCP candidate Chetan Tupe. The same coordination is seen in Khadakwasla, where several aspiring candidates are now united in campaigning for Mahayuti. Meanwhile, Congress faces internal rifts with rebels in multiple constituencies.

Given your role in candidate selection and campaign leadership across western Maharashtra, is it fair to say you are now the leader of Pune city BJP?

I wouldn’t claim that, but as an MP and central minister, I am entrusted with a substantial role. I am focused on fulfilling the responsibilities given to me. Candidate selection follows a structured process, so it’s not my achievement alone. However, I played an active role, along with Fadnavis, in ensuring all candidates who didn’t receive tickets are still engaged in the campaign. With the civil aviation ministry’s responsibilities, I am also addressing issues at Pune airport, and soon, there will be positive news on Purandar airport.