PMC Elections: Surendra Pathare Emerges as BJP’s Key Face After Big Wins in East Pune Wards

Kharadi, 16th January 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has registered a major political breakthrough in East Pune in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, making decisive gains in areas traditionally dominated by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Wards across Vadgaon Sheri, Wagholi and Yerwada—long considered NCP strongholds—have witnessed a clear shift, with the BJP’s lotus symbol gaining strong ground.

At the centre of this turnaround is Surendra Pathare, who joined the BJP shortly ahead of the elections and was entrusted with responsibility for Wards 3 and 4. The party’s confidence in his leadership proved well placed, as both ward panels under his stewardship secured victory, dealing an unexpected setback to the NCP and significantly strengthening the BJP’s organisational presence in East Pune. His father Bappusaheb Pathare, who is with the NCP (Sharad Pawar), is the current MLA from Vadgaonsheri constituency.

Aishwarya contested from Ward 3 (Lohgaon-Viman Nagar) while Surendra Pathare contested from Ward 4 (Kharadi-Wagholi).

The BJP had identified East Pune as a key focus area in this election cycle, aiming to expand its footprint by promoting fresh leadership and energising younger voters. Pathare’s induction into the party emerged as a decisive factor in this strategy. Party insiders attribute the success to meticulous planning, effective organisation and sustained grassroots outreach.

An educated entrepreneur known for his forward-looking approach, Pathare worked extensively at the local level, engaging residents across socio-economic groups and articulating a development-centric vision for the region.

Accepting the responsibility assigned by the party, he not only met expectations but exceeded them, leading his wife Aishwarya Pathare and the entire panel to victory with a clear majority from Ward 3. The outcome underscored that the Pathare family’s political entry was substantive rather than symbolic.

The scale of the BJP’s success is especially evident in Wards 3 and 4, which include several newly merged villages within the city limits. For the first time, the party has succeeded in electing eight corporators from these wards, highlighting the depth of its breakthrough in East Pune.

Political observers see Pathare’s debut performance as a milestone at a time when the BJP’s influence in East Pune was considered limited. Beyond its immediate local impact, the result is also expected to shape the party’s strategy for forthcoming elections in the region.

Speaking after the victory, Pathare credited the outcome to direct engagement with voters, focused attention on civic issues and strong mobilisation of party workers and youth. With this performance, he is increasingly being viewed as an emerging political force in East Pune, with a growing role anticipated in the city’s future political landscape.