The Bharatiya Janata Party demonstrated clear dominance over the Nationalist Congress Party in Pune's recently merged civic poll areas. This outcome emerged from the first municipal elections held after these regions joined the Pune Municipal Corporation limits.
Ward Distribution and BJP Performance
Voters across ten wards in the merged territories elected forty corporators to the PMC general body. The BJP secured more seats than its rival in multiple locations including Lohegaon, Manjari, Bavdhan, Wagholi-Kharadi, and Dhayari-Narhe.
Historical Context and Political Shift
Political observers noted that peripheral areas of Pune traditionally functioned as NCP strongholds. For many years, electors in these regions consistently supported the party during successive Lok Sabha and assembly elections.
However, the political landscape began transforming in recent years. The BJP successfully established its presence in numerous pockets, creating substantial competition for the NCP. These strategic efforts ultimately yielded positive results during the civic polls.
Key Victories in Merged Areas
The BJP achieved complete sweeps in several important merged zones. The party won all eight seats in Kharadi-Lohegaon and Lohegaon-Vimannagar pockets. It captured three out of four seats in the Kalas-Dhanori-Lohegaon ward.
Similar success occurred in the Manjari-Keshavnagar-Sadesatra Nali ward, which covers significant merged territory along Solapur Road. The BJP secured three seats there. Complete sweeps also happened in Wadgaon Budruk-Dhayari ward and Warje-Populanagar ward, the latter containing merged pockets beyond Warje.
Competitive Wards and Equal Standings
Some areas witnessed closely contested battles between the two major parties. In Mohammadwadi-Undri, Sus-Baner-Pashan, and Shivane-Khadakwasla-Dhayari wards, both BJP and NCP secured two seats each, resulting in equal standings.
Ward Delimitation and Additional Wins
During the ward delimitation process, certain merged areas attached to older city pockets also saw BJP victories. A leader from the BJP's city unit attributed these successes to the party's aggressive strategy for merged territories.
The functionary explained, "The poll results clearly indicate that residents from merged areas voted for the BJP. Although some wards saw similar seat numbers for both parties, the BJP never won fewer seats than the NCP in any ward."
He further elaborated, "Our party implemented a comprehensive plan for the merged areas. The BJP-led state government made numerous decisions benefiting these regions, and people expressed faith in the party's leadership through their votes."
