Some big guns suffered unexpected losses, while there were some surprise wins, especially by beginners, in the PCMC election. Former Mayor Yogesh Behl recorded his record seventh victory in PCMC history.
Former Pimpri-Chinchwad mayor Mai Dhore was one of the big losers. Dhore, who had beaten Sangvi five consecutive times, lost to NCP’s Ujwala Dhore. His closest collaborators said that the defeat could be due to an anti-incumbent factor.
Seema Sawale, former PCMC standing committee president, lost by a narrow margin of just 256 votes in Indrayani Nagar-Balajinagar area. She was defeated by Dr. Suhas Kamble, a prominent orthopedic surgeon who runs the Sai Hospital in Moshi. Sawale was with the BJP but switched allegiance to the NCP during the campaign. NCP leader Sarang Kamtekar said the BJP’s money power was undoing them. Kamtekar said they have objected to some machines not working. “The final result has not yet been announced due to our objections. But it is true that at the end of the last round we were losing by 256,” he said. The NCP alleged that the BJP had done everything possible to defeat Sawale.
BJP’s Prashant Shitole, another former standing committee president, had a real scare until the last round of voting. He ultimately won by a narrow margin of 290 votes. He defeated the NCP candidate, Atul Shitole. Prashant Shitole’s close aides said in the initial rounds that he was leading. However, later until the last three rounds, Atul Shitole was ahead. “Only in the last three rounds, Prashant Shitole got a minor lead of 90 and 100 and finally 290 votes and won,” said a close aide. Shitole had won three times in the past and all on NCP ticket. He switched to the BJP during the elections.
In Pimple Nilakh, Pimpri-Chinchwad NCP (SP) unit president Tushar Kamthe lost to BJP’s Sandeep Kaspate. He lost by almost 9,000 votes. Kamthe had played an important role in uniting the two NCPs for the PCMC election. He was present at all the meetings, rallies and press conferences organized by the two parties. Sachin Chikhale, president of MNS Pimpri-Chninchwad unit, lost to BJP’s Uttam Kendale in Yamunagar Nagar seat.
However, BJP Pimpri-Chinchwad unit chief Shatrughan Kate won from Pimple Saudagar by a margin of over 8,000 votes.
NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad unit chief Yogesh Behl claimed his seventh consecutive victory against Sant Tukaram Nagar. He won by more than 5,000 votes. He began his political career in 1986 but lost the first elections. He won the 1992 elections and hasn’t looked back since. He has served as mayor, standing committee chairman, opposition leader and PCMC house leader in the past. “My work speaks for itself, I have always been in contact with my voters and I have been very accessible to them at all times. That is probably why I have always won and with a comfortable margin of victory,” he said.
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In Walhekarwadi, former senior leader Bhausaheb Bhoir of the NCP won after a see-saw battle with Namdev Dhake of the BJP. Dhake was the leader of the PCMC house.
Sheetal Kate, a two-time NCP corporator from Pimpile Nilakh, also lost the elections. She lost to Anita Kate. However, her husband Nana Kate has been re-elected from Pimple Saudagar.
BJP’s Rahul Kalate defeated NCP’s Mayur Kalate by a wide margin of around 15,000 votes. Kalate was NCP (SP) but joined the BJP during the elections. There was strong opposition to his joining the BJP from a section of saffron leaders.
BJP’s Sneha Kalate also won by a margin of nearly 15,000 votes. It is the first time that it is Pimple Nilakh’s corporation.
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BJP’s Wakad first-timer Shruti Wakadkar won by a margin of nearly 10,000 votes. Shruti was trailing in the initial rounds but then took the lead and never looked back.
NCP’s Rahul Bhosale won for Nehrunagar area for the third consecutive time. Bhosale defeated BJP’s Sadguru Kadam, who was previously with the Congress. “Before Rahul Bhosale, his father Hanumant Bhosale had won the Nehrunagar seat five consecutive times. He had been mayor and deputy mayor of Pimpri-Chinchwad,” said advocate Sushil Mancharkar, a resident of Nehrunagar.
Former NCP mayor Vaishali Ghodekar defeated a BJP candidate from Nehrunagar. Ghodekar won for the third time. He had lost once in the past.
In Masulkar colony, first-time candidate Sarika Masulkar won. She defeated her sister-in-law Sheetal Masulkar. In Kasarwadi Prabhag, another newcomer, Manisha Lande, wife of former corporator and opposition leader Shyam Lande, won by over 5,000 votes. NCP’s Varsha Jagtap defeated former corporator Sujata Palande in the same Kasarwadi-Sant Tukaram Nagar ward.