Written by Ajay JadhavPune | January 1, 2026 10:24 PM IST 2 min readUnion Minister of State for Aviation Murlidhar Mohol (left) and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. (Express photo)Contesting independently and taking on each other despite being in alliance in the state and Centre, the BJP on Thursday took on the Ajit Pawar-led NCP for fielding candidates with what it called “criminal backgrounds” for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections.“Being the guardian minister of Pune, it is necessary to give priority to maintaining the law and order situation by controlling crime. Instead, look at the list of candidates of our rival (NCP). It is filled with persons of criminal background,” Union Minister of State (MoS) for Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said. “It is necessary for all the political parties to think about the situation seriously and work towards keeping politics free of criminal elements,” he added.When pointed out that the BJP has fielded Pratibha Chorghe, whose husband has been accused of being linked to illegal activities, Mohol said, “Chorghe has done social work and is popular among locals. We are not aware of any criminal background of their family.”The Union minister said the BJP is contesting only on development issues and confident that the next mayor of Pune would be from the party. Mohol said the BJP has fielded 92 women candidates for the 165 seats.Must Read | Days before Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad civic polls, Ajit Pawar says NCP in talks with Eknath Shinde’s Sena to ‘discuss the possibility of striking alliance’“We wanted to have an alliance with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena but they fielded more number of candidates than expected. We too fielded more candidates. However, we still want an alliance with the Shiv Sena and the situation will be resolved by the state leadership by Friday,” Mohol said.The BJP had 105 corporators in the previous general body of the PMC, so it staked claim on more seats, he said, adding that the Shiv Sena with one former corporator wanted to contest from several seats. “The BJP offered 16 seats but the Shiv Sena wanted 25 seats, which was not acceptable,” Mohol said, adding that the BJP hopes alliance with the Shiv Sena survives in the civic polls and that after reaching consensus both will try to withdraw their candidates wherever required.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