Pune assembly polls: 19 in fray for three seats in Pimpri-Chinchwad
Chinchwad is represented by BJP’s Ashwini Jagtap, Bhosari by BJP’s Mahesh Landge, and Pimpri, a reserved constituency, by Anna Bansode from NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). Most aspirants are eager for an MVA ticket, but few have prior experience in assembly elections
With the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliances yet to finalise their seat-sharing arrangements after the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday announced schedule for assembly polls on November 20, the number of aspirants eyeing tickets from three seats in Pimpri-Chinchwad is rising.
As on Wednesday, there are 19 aspirants vying for three assembly seats.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad, the three seats — Chinchwad, Bhosari, and Pimpri — are held by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) representatives. Chinchwad is represented by BJP’s Ashwini Jagtap, Bhosari by BJP’s Mahesh Landge, and Pimpri, a reserved constituency, by Anna Bansode from NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). Most aspirants are eager for an MVA ticket, but few have prior experience in assembly elections.
During the 2019 elections, Pimpri saw 1.77 lakh citizens cast votes. Anna Bansode won with an 18,000-vote margin, defeating Shiv Sena’s Gautam Chabukswar. For the upcoming election, MVA aspirants include Sulakshana Shilwant, who seeks an NCP (SP) ticket, and former MLA Gautam Chabukswar, eyeing a Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket. Former BJP corporator Seema Sawale is also considering running, either on an MVA ticket or as an independent. Sources suggest that tickets for NCP’s Bansode and NCP (SP)’s Shilwant are nearly finalised.
In Chinchwad, Mahayuti is facing internal strife. While Ashwini holds the seat, sources indicate that her brother-in-law, Shankar Jagtap, may receive the BJP ticket. MVA aspirants in Chinchwad include former corporator Nana Kate, who has lost two elections, and former corporator Rahul Kalate, who has lost three.
BJP corporators Shatrughan Kate and Chandrakant Nakate are also seeking BJP tickets for Chinchwad. Senior Congress leader Bhausaheb Bhoir, who joined Ajit Pawar’s NCP, is hoping to contest as an MVA candidate after losing to the late Laxman Jagtap in 2009.
In Bhosari, Landge is the confirmed Mahayuti candidate. He first won as an independent in 2014 and then as a BJP candidate in 2019. Sachin Kalbhor, another BJP member, is also interested in the Bhosari seat. On the MVA side, Ajit Gavhane, a former Ajit Pawar-faction NCP corporator and city president who recently joined the Sharad Pawar camp, is expected to receive MVA ticket. Meanwhile, former BJP corporator Ravi Landge, now with Shiv Sena-UBT, and former opposition leader Sulbha Ubhale are also vying for MVA ticket. Former MLA Vilas Lande, who met with NCP leader Sharad Pawar, is also keen to contest.
Landge said, “Our campaign, focused on 10 years of sustainable development, has already started. The public supports us for our completed projects, and any remaining issues will be resolved soon. We have a concrete vision. Development took a backseat during the MVA tenure, but we are now working tirelessly to address this.”
Gavhane, speaking about his aspirations for Bhosari, said, “I am here to serve my birthplace and bring real change. For 10 years, our area has suffered as projects are merely on paper or seen on hoardings. Citizens deserve better, and I’m committed to fulfilling their needs for basic amenities and infrastructure. Moshi, Dighi, Charoli, and surrounding areas have immense potential. I am dedicated to honouring the people’s wishes.”
