Bagul, Jagtap, Bagwe and Shivarkar among notable losers in PMC elections

With many new faces arriving at elected body of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Few bigwigs (including former deputy mayor Ulhas Bagul of the Shiv Sena, city NCP chief Subhash Jagtap, Ashok Harnawal, Shankar Kemse and Ashwini Kadam of the NCP, Avinash Bagwe of the Congress, Abhijeet Shivarkar and Dhanraj Ghogare of the BJP) have missed out this time.

Bagul has won PMC elections six consecutive times in the past and was in the Congress before joining the Eknath Shinde-led by Shiv Sena. He was defeated by BJP candidate Mahesh Wabale. “It is the victory of money power over development work in the Sahakarnagar-Padmavati area,” Bagul said after his defeat.

He said he was elected six times in the past only on the basis of development, but this electoral development work did not matter much as rivals manage to attract voters with other promises. “The rivals misused power. They adopted all means to win the elections,” Bagul said.

City NCP chief Subhash Jagtap suffered defeat at the hands of BJP’s newcomer Veena Ghosh. Jagtap’s defeat represented a consecutive defeat for him in the civic polls.

The loss of NCP leader Ashwini Kadam was a setback for the party that was confident of its victory thanks to her work. Kadam had been with the NCP (SP) after the party split, but contested as the candidate of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP after the two parties forged an alliance ahead of the PMC elections.

Ashok Harnawal had joined the NCP before the PMC elections. He was in Shiv Sena (UBT) and had been a businessman in the past.

Former Congress corporator Abjijit Shivarkar, son of former Congress minister Balasaheb Shivarkar,’s plan to contest as a BJP candidate did not work out as he lost to Prashant Jagtap of the Congress. Jagtap was the city’s NCP (SP) chief since its formation, but resigned from the party after he joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP just before the elections.

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The Congress’s best hope lay with Avinash Bagwe, but he narrowly lost to his closest rival, BJP’s Vivek Yadav.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vasant More and his son Rupesh also lost in the PMC elections, while Pratibha Dhangekar, wife of former legislator and Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Dhangekar, and her son Pranav did not make it to the civic body.

Ajay Jadhav is assistant editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With more than 22 years of industry experience, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance and sustainability. Professional Experience Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune office, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He has a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Shocking reports: You are credited with articles based on research on conservation staff (waste workers) who influenced national policy to improve working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-level infrastructure (such as helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic services such as schools in his home districts. Personal Interests: An avid hiker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in outdoor activities often influences his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Your reports at the end of 2025 have been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 civic polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city’s infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) “Not friendly, but a bitter fight looms between BJP and NCP over PMC, PCMC” (22) December 2025): A detailed look at Intense rivalry between Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. “Pune civic polls: Big blow for NCP and NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP” (December 20, 2025): Report on poaching and high-profile party changes ahead of elections. “Ajit Pawar’s NCP continues dominance in Pune, wins 10 out of 17 local bodies” (December 21, 2025): Analysis of local self-government body election results as precursors to major civic polls. 2. Infrastructure and Urban Development “Looking ahead in 2026: Pune will see inauguration of long-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route” (December 22, 2025) – An “insights” article on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to be completed by March 2026. “Pune construction: PMC to build double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha river” (18 December 2025) 2025): details a major project aimed at facilitating traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. “Condition of Pune-Kolhapur road to improve in a year: Gadkari” (December 4, 2025): Report on Union Minister’s assurance regarding one of the most critical transport corridors in the state. 3. Civic Governance and Environment “Install sensors and LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC for builders” (December 16, 2025) – A continuation of the “Breathless Pune” series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real time. “Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters” (December 16, 2025): Tracking administrative efforts to clean up voter lists ahead of 2026 elections. Signature style Ajay Jadhav is known for his accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level politics and the ‘ground zero’ reality of Pune residents. It is particularly focused on sustainable development, ensuring that as Pune becomes a “Bharat Mandapam”-style destination (referring to its report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape …Read more

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