Manjusha Nagpure elected unopposed as Pune mayor after NCP and Congress withdraw nominations

3 minutes of readingPuneFebruary 9, 2026 12:30 pm IST

BJP’s Manjusha Nagpure was declared elected unopposed as mayor of Pune city after NCP corporator Sheetal Sawanr and Congress corporator Ashwini Landge withdrew from the election fray on Monday.

After a period of four years, the Pune The Municipal Corporation will have a mayor, since the election had been postponed for legal reasons since the previous term ended in 2022.

“Manjusha Nagpure will be declared elected mayor of Pune,” said district collector Jitendra Dudi, the official appointed to conduct the mayoral elections. The position of mayor is reserved for a general category corporate woman.

BJP leader Ganesh Bidkar appealed to the NCP and Congress to withdraw their nominations and pave the way for a unanimous election so that an immediate condolence meeting could be held for Ajit Pawar and Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi, who died in January. Both parties agreed and their candidates withdrew from the mayoral elections.

Nagpure, 46, an MBA from a family of strong RSS supporters, is a third-party businessman and was elected unopposed in the recent PMC elections.

Nagpure was first elected to PMC as corporator in 2012 in Anandnagar area on Sinhagad Road. In the civic elections on January 15, 2026, she was elected unopposed from Suncity-Manikbaug ward on Sinhagad Road.
Nagpure was preferred over other favorites, four-time corporator Varsha Tapkir and three-time corporator Mansi Deshpande. Incidentally, Nagpure represents a district that is part of the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, represented by the working president of the NCP (SP). Supriya Sule. The BJP has been trying hard to get the constitution.

Nagpure’s husband Deepak is a BJP functionary. Nagpure is among the highly skilled PMC corporations. The couple runs a business whose main income comes from leasing commercial properties. His total assets are worth 3.22 crores.

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Nagpure completed his undergraduate studies from Savitribai Phule Pune University in 1999 and obtained his Master of Business Administration from ICFAI University in 2021. He was working in an IT company, but resigned to contest civic elections at the insistence of his family. She is the mother of two children, ages 17 and five respectively.

During his election campaign, Nagpure said he would work to solve Pune’s traffic problems by improving traffic signals, widening roads and strengthening the PMPML bus service.

Representing the flood-prone Sinhagad Road area, Nagpure said he planned to construct a retaining wall along the Mutha river and set up a flood early warning system, adding that he also wanted to push forward the river improvement and beautification project undertaken by the PMC.

Nagpure had also talked about the Swachh Ward, Beautiful Ward concept for the city to address waste dumping in open areas. He said he would work to improve civic hospitals and introduce digital education in schools run by the civic body.

Ajay Jadhav is assistant editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With more than 22 years of experience in the industry, 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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