Pune: BJP to Conduct Three-Phase Survey for Candidate Selection in Upcoming Municipal Elections; Senior Leaders May Be Denied Tickets

Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 20th May 2025: With the Supreme Court directing that local body elections be held within four months, political activity has intensified across Maharashtra. In Pune, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has begun internal preparations for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections by adopting a new formula for candidate selection—one that may lead to the exclusion of several veteran leaders.

Survey-Based Candidate Selection
According to party insiders, the BJP will conduct a three-phase survey—at the central, regional, and organizational levels—to assess popularity, performance, and loyalty of potential candidates. Only those who score high across all three criteria are likely to be considered for tickets.

This approach, previously used in Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, marks a strategic shift away from traditional favoritism and may sideline former corporators who are no longer in public touch, have lost popularity, or have shown declining efficiency.

Anxiety Among Veteran Aspirants
The new formula has created unease among several former corporators and long-time aspirants. Many fear they may not clear the performance benchmarks, leading to their exclusion from the candidate list. The BJP’s emphasis on fresh faces and winnability appears to be a clear signal that party loyalty alone will not guarantee a ticket.

Mahayuti Alliance Strategy Still Unclear
While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stated that the Mahayuti alliance—comprising BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde), and NCP (Ajit Pawar)—intends to contest most municipal elections together, he has also left the door open for exceptions. “In some places, we may contest separately based on mutual understanding, but we will come together post-elections,” Fadnavis said.

This ambiguity has led to speculation about whether BJP will contest the Pune municipal elections independently or as part of the alliance. However, regardless of the alliance structure, the BJP has already begun the candidate screening process.

Statewide Implementation of Survey Formula?
While this three-phase candidate selection formula is currently confirmed for Pune, there is no clarity yet on whether it will be adopted for other municipal corporations across Maharashtra. Party sources suggest that its success in Pune may influence its implementation in other urban local bodies.

As election momentum builds, all eyes are now on the BJP’s candidate list—particularly which veterans may face the axe, and which new faces will emerge as contenders in the 2025 PMC elections.