Mission PCMC: BJP Gets “Good Luck” in Pimpri-Chinchwad Ward Reservation Draw

Pimpri-Chinchwad | Special Correspondent:
The State Election Commission announced the ward reservation draw for the upcoming Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections on Tuesday. This marks the second major step after the ward structure was finalized. Earlier, opposition parties had alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had ensured a “favorable” ward structure. However, the Election Department paid little attention to objections and suggestions. Now, the reservation draw results have again brought “good luck” to the BJP.

The PCMC election is being held after a gap of nine years. In 2017, the BJP had won 77 out of 128 seats. Since then, in the 2019 and 2024 Assembly elections, the party has further strengthened its grip over the city. This time, Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction is facing an uphill battle to maintain its relevance in what was once its stronghold.

Once considered the bastion of the Nationalist Congress Party, Pimpri-Chinchwad has now become a BJP fortress. With the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in power at both the state and center, the local leadership reportedly had indirect influence over the ward design. The outcome of the reservation draw has also largely favored the BJP, with most of its stronghold wards remaining “safe.”

Some aspirants from other parties have been sidelined automatically due to reservation changes. For instance, MLA Anna Bansode’s son Siddharth Bansode, who was a strong aspirant from Ward 19, is now ineligible as the ward is reserved for women. Similarly, several women leaders like Seema Sawale, Sulakshana Shilwant, Chandrakant Sonkamble, Ashwini Waghmare, Kamal Gholap, Ashwini Bobade, Geeta Mancharkar, and Madhuri Rajapure face challenges as their wards have now been reserved for men.

In Bhosari Assembly constituency, which falls under the PCMC, the reservation outcome is largely positive for the BJP. For example, changes in Tathawade area disrupted NCP’s Pankaj Bhalekar’s panel alignment. In many other wards, the BJP’s panels appear stronger, while NCP and opposition groups are struggling to field competitive candidates.

According to political observers, the BJP is likely to increase its tally from the 33 out of 48 seats it had won in 2017 within the Bhosari Assembly segment. The combination of a favorable ward structure, reservation draw, and a large pool of eager aspirants indicates that BJP may once again seize power in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.