The traditional political campaign of smiles, folded hands, and promises is undergoing a dramatic and expensive transformation in Pune. As the city gears up for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, candidates are deploying a new playbook to win voter favour, one that involves high-value lucky draws featuring plots of land, luxury vehicles, international holidays, and prized Paithani saris.
From Modest Outreach to High-Stakes Inducements
With local body elections in Maharashtra being held after a significant gap, the competition has intensified to an unprecedented level. Political analysts point to overcrowded tickets, the entry of new aspirants, and fierce intra-party rivalries as key drivers behind this shift. What used to be simple outreach programs have now escalated into grand campaigns where sponsored cricket tournaments offer cash prizes of Rs 1 lakh, and draws for two-wheelers and four-wheelers have become a common feature at the ward level.
The scenario in Pune is a clear reflection of this trend. In Ward No. 1 (Lohegaon-Dhanori), NCP aspirant Shashi Tingre has registered for a lucky draw that promises a remarkable prize: eleven plots of land, each measuring one guntha (approximately 1,100 sq ft), exclusively for women. Tingre defends the move, stating it is aimed at social empowerment and providing women with security and dignity through asset ownership, rather than being a mere vote-buying tactic.
Thailand Trips, Paithanis, and SUVs: The New Campaign Toolkit
The scale of extravagance varies across wards but follows a similar theme of offering tangible, high-value rewards. In Wagholi, some candidates have sponsored a five-day holiday trip to Thailand (Phuket-Krabi) for couples. Meanwhile, in Ward No. 3 (Vimannagar), the Sakhi Prerna Manch organized a special contest for women where the winners were gifted authentic Paithani saris.
Other wards have seen different forms of largesse. In Ward No. 10 (Bavdhan and Bhusari Colony), around 500 girls received bicycles and women were given sewing machines through an initiative by the Kiran Dagade Patil Foundation. The same ward also saw aspirant Dilip Vede Patil organizing a free music concert for residents.
The trend is not confined to the PMC limits. In neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad, candidate Sanket Barne organized a draw with the top prize being an SUV, attracting over 5,000 participants to an event that also featured a Bollywood music concert. Another Pimpri aspirant, Ashwini More, sponsored a cricket tournament with a Rs 1 lakh cash prize for the winners.
Analysts Decry Transactional Politics, Candidates Feel the Pressure
This shift towards a gift-based campaign model has raised serious concerns among observers. Urban policy expert Jyoti Kanade criticized the approach, noting that when campaigns revolve around gifts, it promotes a "transactional approach to democracy where voters are treated as consumers and polls as investments."
Political commentator Anand Puntambekar attributed the phenomenon to delayed elections and intense competition, which has pushed candidates into a mindset where "visibility matters more than ideology or governance." Many candidates privately admit that such extravagant offers raise the stakes for everyone in the fray, creating a cycle of one-upmanship.
A senior BJP leader acknowledged the growing pressure on contenders to match or exceed rivals' offers but cautioned, "But there has to be a limit to all this and action must be taken against those crossing the line." As the PMC polls draw closer, the debate continues over whether this new campaign culture empowers voters or simply commodifies their electoral choice.
