The political temperature in Pune is at the peak as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) toppled Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) by winning 89 seats in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Elections. Meanwhile, NCP won 30 seats. The party had previously won 51 seats in 2012 civic polls. BJP’s performance in the PMC elections 2017 was far better than the 2012 PMC elections where they stood in the fourth position after NCP, Congress and MNS. BJP leaders hailed the central government for it massive victory in Pune.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) civic polls took place on February 21 with 1,090 candidates battling out for 162 seats. PMC is one of the oldest Municipality Corporations in the country which was formed in 1950. and holds a total number 41 wards. the fight was considered to be strong between Bharatiya Janata Party, NCP and Shiv Sena. Parties like Congress and NCP allied to fight for over 100 seats while over 62 seats, candidates from both the parties contested against each other.
BJP party workers celebrated their win outside BJP’s party office in Pune in absolute fervor.
It was interesting to witness the results as it people were across the state were curious to know whether NCP will continue its winning streak or will BJP sweep off the elections. As the residents went to polls on February 21, Pune recorded a voter turnout of 55.5%. Which is marginally higher than that was recorded 2012 civic polls.
Apart from BJP and NCP, Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party also contested Pune Civic polls for making inroads in Pune but could not make a major impact. MNS fared terribly as it managed to win only 1 seat.
Besides Pune, the municipal corporations which went to the polls were Mumbai, Thane, Ulhasnagar, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur.
