Maharashtra Legislative Council Bypolls: Two Pune Leaders Poised for Seats

Mumbai, 7th March 2025: As Maharashtra prepares for bypolls to five Legislative Council seats later this month, two political leaders from Pune are expected to secure positions, having received prior assurances from their parties ahead of the Assembly elections.

The bypolls, scheduled for March 27, were necessitated after three BJP members and one representative each from the Shiv Sena and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) won Assembly seats in last year’s elections.

Former Pune BJP chief Jagdish Mulik was promised a Legislative Council seat after he sought a party ticket for both the Pune Lok Sabha constituency and the Vadgaonsheri Assembly seat. During the previous elections, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urged Mulik not to contest as an Independent from Vadgaonsheri, as the BJP was supporting then-sitting MLA Sunil Tingre of the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). Initially reluctant to campaign for the alliance partner, Mulik eventually extended his support following Fadnavis’s assurance. Despite this, Tingre was defeated by Bapu Pathare of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).

A BJP worker and supporter of Mulik stated, “We are optimistic that our leader Mulik will be nominated to the Legislative Council.”

Pune BJP president Dheeraj Ghate, who was denied a party ticket for the Kasba Assembly seat, also received assurances of a future opportunity, making him another contender for the Legislative Council.

Meanwhile, Pune NCP chief Deepak Mankar is another name being considered. Mankar was promised a Council seat after missing out in the previous Legislative Council elections. Though he initially considered resigning in protest, he refrained after discussions with NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

“I was assured a seat in the past, and I remain hopeful this time. However, I will respect the party’s decision and continue working for its growth,” Mankar stated.

In the last Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, local NCP leaders had opposed the potential nomination of Roopali Chakankar, the state women’s commission chairperson and head of the NCP women’s wing, as a candidate.