Pune: 102 First-Time Corporators Bring Fresh Energy to PMC

Pune, 19th January 2026: The newly elected Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is set to see a major generational shift, with a large number of first-time councillors entering the civic body. Of the 165 corporators elected, 102 are newcomers, while 63 are returning members with previous experience.

The fresh intake includes 60 women and 42 men. Overall, women now outnumber men in the new PMC House, with 89 women corporators compared to 76 men — marking a significant change in the city’s local political landscape.

Among the new entrants are Surendra Pathare and his wife, Aishwarya Pathare, both elected for the first time. “Our family has represented this area for years, and now the next generation has entered public service. It’s a proud and responsible moment for us,” Surendra Pathare said.

Aishwarya Pathare said her focus would be on fulfilling campaign commitments. “People trusted me even though I am new to politics. We will start by listing the first 100 issues we want to tackle and move quickly on solutions we promised during the election,” she said.

Party leaders say the civic polls, held in January after a four-year gap since the PMC’s previous term ended in 2022, gave many political parties the chance to field new candidates. As a result, the new House is expected to take some time to get accustomed to municipal procedures, rules, and day-to-day governance.

“Most of the elected members are entering the system for the first time, so naturally there will be a learning phase,” said a senior corporator. “Until they understand how the administration works, experienced members will have to guide them and ensure the city’s work does not slow down.”

Bala Ostwal, a BJP corporator elected for a fourth term, said his party would soon begin training programmes for the newcomers. “We have a structured mechanism to orient first-time corporators. Their roles and responsibilities will be clearly defined, and they will be trained to carry out their duties effectively,” Ostwal said.

In the 2026 PMC elections, the BJP once again emerged as the single largest party, winning 119 seats. The alliance between the two NCP factions secured 30 seats, Congress won 15, and Shiv Sena (UBT) managed to get one seat.

Compared to the 2017 elections, both the BJP and the Congress improved their numbers. In the previous House, the BJP had 97 seats, the NCP had 42, Shiv Sena had 10, and Congress had nine. That term ended in 2022, and the latest elections were held on January 15, with results announced on Friday.

The BJP has the highest number of first-time corporators. The party chose not to renominate 53 of its earlier 99 corporators and instead fielded a mix of 46 sitting members and many new faces across all 165 seats. Its main rivals included the NCP (Ajit Pawar)-NCP (Sharad Pawar) combine, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

A senior Congress leader said the party was confident about playing a stronger role in the new House. “Our performance has improved compared to the last term. With a blend of young energy and experienced leaders, we will function as a constructive and effective opposition,” the leader said.