Pune: Former NCP Leader Sachin Dodke Joins BJP; Political Switch in Khadakwasla Sends Ripples Through BJP Ahead of PMC Elections

Khadakwasla, 20th December 2025: A late pre-election political crossover has added a new layer of intrigue to Pune’s civic poll battle, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) inducting former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sachin Dodke, a move that has not only unsettled the opposition but also exposed internal differences within the ruling party’s local leadership.

Sachin Dodke, a two-time Assembly candidate from the Khadakwasla constituency and a former close associate of Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule, formally joined the BJP at a ceremony in Mumbai earlier this week. His induction is widely seen as a strategic blow to the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction, particularly in the Khadakwasla belt where Dodke has maintained a political presence for years.

The timing of the move is significant, coming as Pune prepares for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, with polling scheduled for January 15 and counting on January 16. Political activity across the city has intensified, and parties are fine-tuning their strategies to consolidate support ahead of the high-stakes civic contest.

However, sources within the BJP indicated that Dodke’s entry was far from smooth. Sitting BJP MLA Bhimrao Tapkir, who has faced Dodke in two Assembly elections, reportedly raised strong objections to inducting his long-standing political rival into the party. Tapkir’s concerns were said to centre on the possibility of internal factionalism at a time when organisational unity is crucial.

Despite the resistance, Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol is understood to have played a decisive role in pushing Dodke’s induction. His intervention reportedly led to tense exchanges during a BJP core committee meeting in Pune, but the leadership ultimately went ahead with the decision, overriding internal opposition.

Dodke had contested the Khadakwasla Assembly seat in 2019, losing to Tapkir by a narrow margin of 2,595 votes. In the 2024 Assembly election, however, Tapkir emerged significantly stronger, defeating Dodke by a margin of 52,322 votes. Over the years, the two leaders have been among each other’s most prominent political challengers in the constituency.

As campaigning for the PMC elections gathers momentum, the political impact of Dodke’s entry into the BJP remains under close watch. Observers are keen to see whether the move translates into electoral gains or creates fresh challenges for party cohesion within the Pune unit in the run-up to polling day.