Pune: The BJP 's first list for the state assembly election named its sitting MLAs as candidates in six of the 21 constituencies in Pune district. In Chinchwad, the party gave the ticket to Shankar Jagtap, sitting MLA Ashwini Jagtap's brother-in-law. Despite opposition from its corporators and former senior office-bearers in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the BJP's tickets went to MLAs Chandrakant Patil in Kothrud and Madhuri Misal in Parvati.
In Bhosari, Mahesh Landge, the party's two-term MLA, will contest a third time. Landge said, "The party considered my report card of works done in my constituency in 10 years." No candidate was named in Kasba Peth, a BJP bastion.
The constituency has been in the news after the party's defeat in a byelection in 2023. BJP leaders said several former corporators have expressed willingness to contest and demanded a ticket here. Former standing committee chairman Hemant Rasane and city unit chief Dheeraj Ghate, Kunal Tilak, son of former Kasba MLA Mukta Tilak, have pitched themselves as candidates.
In 2019, BJP contested 10 of the 11 seats in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad and won eight. However, this time the equations have changed, as it is in an alliance with the NCP and the Shiv Sena. These partners are also looking to get some of the 11 seats while BJP functionaries want the party to contest all.
Though talks on last-minute changes are underway among the Mahayuti partners, it is likely that BJP will pick eight seats, including six in Pune.
