Written by Ajay JadhavPune | December 29, 2025 03:17 PM IST 3 min readWhile there are only 165 seats in the PMC, the BJP is facing a “problem of plenty” as it received over 2,500 applications from various aspirants, even as it has set aside a few seats for alliance partners Shiv Sena and the Republican Party of India (Athawale). (Representational image/File)Confident of winning the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) polls for the second consecutive time after having inducted many leaders from other political parties, the city unit of the BJP now appears apprehensive over possible rebellion from within the party as it quietly distributed letters of candidature to a few of its leaders before declaring the final list of candidates.The filing of nominations for the municipal polls ends on Tuesday afternoon and the city is witnessing hectic political activities with many aspirants, mainly from the BJP, filing their nominations following a personal call from party leaders who have refrained from declaring an official list of candidates.“The party will declare its list of candidates soon,” said Ganesh Bidkar, who has filed his nomination for the PMC election. He is also the BJP convenor for the civic polls in Pune. The party is contesting the PMC polls in alliance with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.Bidkar said he filed the nomination after the BJP sent him an official letter to contest the civic polls. “I am thankful to all the senior leaders of the party, including the chief minister, for giving me the opportunity to contest the civic polls,” he added.While there are only 165 seats in the PMC, the BJP is facing a “problem of plenty” as it received over 2,500 applications from various aspirants, even as it has set aside a few seats for alliance partners Shiv Sena and the Republican Party of India (Athawale).An office-bearer for the BJP said, “The party has called up official candidates personally and asked them to file their nomination for the Pune civic polls. Many candidates are filing their nomination today (Monday),”Leaders who have filed their nominations so far include the BJP’s Yogesh Mulick and Mahesh Wabale, and the Shiva Sena’s Ulhas Bagul. The polling will take place on January 15, and the results will be declared on January 16.Story continues below this adAccording to a BJP source, “It was obvious that there will be disappointed leaders who would not get candidature. A few may jump to other political parties to contest civic elections.”Meanwhile, RPI(A) party workers held a protest outside the city BJP office on Monday, accusing alliance partner BJP of “fooling” them. “There is no information on how many seats the BJP has allotted for the RPI(A) even as their candidates are filing nominations,” an RPI(A) worker said.A leader of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said the party will also delay announcing its final list of candidates as part of a strategy to rope in rebels from the BJP and its allies to contest on behalf of the NCP wherever possible.The BJP had won 98 seats in the 2017 PMC elections in which it had targeted to win 125 wards.Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 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 Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds 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. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has 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 lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to 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" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd