Pune: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is currently weighing its options ahead of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections—whether to contest independently or align with coalition partners Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Despite having secured a sweeping victory by winning 100 seats on its own in the 2017 PMC elections, the party seems inclined towards contesting as part of the Mahayuti alliance.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis recently addressed this matter while speaking to the media in Pune. He emphasized that the ruling alliance aims to contest civic polls together wherever feasible. “In cases where seat-sharing becomes difficult, the partners may contest separately. However, the overarching aim remains unity, and partners should avoid targeting each other during campaigns,” he clarified.
Echoing this stance, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation and Pune BJP MP Murlidhar Mohol said that the Mahayuti is expected to contest the PMC elections as a unified bloc. “With the Chief Minister clearly stating that the alliance will fight together, Pune is likely to follow that line,” he remarked.
However, not all voices within the party are in harmony. Several local BJP leaders believe the party should consider going solo, confident that it can once again win a clear majority on its own. This internal debate highlights the strategic dilemma BJP faces in balancing alliance politics with its ground strength in Pune.
