Pune mayor poll: BJP names Manjusha Nagpure for top post, NCP fields candidate at last minute as Congress also joins fray

4 minutes of readingPuneUpdated: February 3, 2026 06:01 pm IST

Putting an end to all speculations, the BJP has decided to field three-time corporator Manjusha Nagpure as its candidate for the post of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) mayor. The party will also field corporator Parshuram Wadekar for the post of deputy mayor.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which had initially decided not to field candidates for the posts, citing the recent death of its party chief Ajit Pawar, changed its decision as the deadline for filing nominations almost came to an end on Tuesday. The Congress has nominated Ashwini Landge for the post of mayor and Sahil Kedari for deputy mayor.

“Manjusha Nagpure will be the BJP candidate for the post of mayor, while Parshuram Wadekar will be the BJP candidate for deputy mayor of Pune“said city BJP chief Dheeraj Ghate.

Nagpure said he will work for the development of the entire city. “I am grateful to the BJP for giving me the opportunity to serve the city of Pune. I will try to provide smart governance. I wanted to work along with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, but it is sad that he is no longer there,” she said.

Of the PMC’s 165 seats, the BJP won 119 seats, while the NCP won 27 seats, the Congress won 15 seats, the NCP (SP) won three seats and the Shiv Sena (UBT) won one seat. The deadline to submit candidates ended Tuesday afternoon and the election will be held on February 9. The position of mayor is reserved for a female general category corporator.

The NCP will make the final decision later

NCP leader in the PMC, Nilesh Nikam, initially said the party was still mourning the loss of its chief Ajit Pawar, so the local leadership would not field candidates for the post of mayor and deputy mayor. However, at the last minute he changed his decision.

“The party top leadership is busy resolving the high-level issues that have arisen after the death of party chief Ajit Pawar, so the local leadership has decided to take decisions for the election of PMC posts,” he said. The NCP has nominated Sheetal Sawant for the post of mayor and Dattatraya Bahirat for the post of deputy mayor.

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“The final decision on whether to participate in the elections for the position of mayor and deputy mayor will be made according to the instructions of the state leaders. There is time to withdraw the nomination, so we will wait until then for the instructions of the state unit,” he said.

The NCP, which is the main opposition party, will support the BJP in “good decisions that are in the interest of the party” and oppose decisions that go against the interests of the citizens of Pune, said Nikam, who will be appointed as the leader of the opposition (LoP).

On the other hand, the Congress seemed determined not to allow the BJP to get its candidates elected unopposed. “During the civic elections, the Congress said that giving a vote to the NCP is like voting to the BJP. Look, this happened because the NCP decided not to field its candidate for the important PMC seat,” said city Congress chief Arvind Shinde.

“Businessman Ashwini Landge will be the Congress candidate for the post of mayor and Sahil Kedari will be the candidate for the post of deputy mayor,” he added.

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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