Pune Elections 2025: BJP Fields Husband-Wife Duo Surendra and Aishwarya Pathare from PMC Wards 3 and 4

Pune, 30th December 2025: In a significant political move ahead of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded a young couple from adjoining wards in East Pune, triggering intense political discussion. Surendra Pathare has been nominated from Ward No. 4, while his wife Aishwarya Patil Pathare is contesting from Ward No. 3. Both candidates filed their nomination papers on Tuesday.

Surendra Pathare is the son of Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Bappusaheb Pathare, the sitting MLA from the Vadgaonsheri Assembly constituency. The BJP’s decision to field the couple is being seen as a calculated political gamble aimed at consolidating its presence.

After filing his nomination, Surendra Pathare said he was inspired by the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and committed himself to public welfare, transparent governance, and the development of basic civic amenities. He said the trust shown by BJP leaders and citizens would be the guiding force behind his work, adding that his priority would be the all-round development of Ward No. 4 and addressing citizens’ issues on a war footing.

Aishwarya Pathare, who filed her nomination from Ward No. 3 under the General Category (Woman), said the election was an opportunity to live up to the trust placed in her by the party and the people. She said she was determined to work honestly for the development of every section of society in her ward and prove the confidence shown in her through performance and results.

The entry of the educated and socially active couple has added a new dimension to the PMC election campaign, with political observers closely watching whether the BJP’s focus on youth leadership, women empowerment, and development-centric candidates will translate into electoral gains.

Aishwarya is a young entrepreneur and founder of two technology companies — Pune-based Stancecode and Australia-headquartered SkyAI. She is also actively involved in social initiatives through Sakhi Prerna Manch, which works on women empowerment, leadership development, and community engagement.

Among her notable initiatives is a large-scale programme that enabled 5,000 women from Vadgaonsheri to participate in the Jejuri Haridra Marchan Puja for the first time. She has also led heritage and motivational treks to historic forts such as Lohgad, Pratapgad, and Rayreshwar, with over 5,000 citizens and more than 10,000 youth participating in these activities.

Surendra Pathare is a socio-political leader, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who joined the BJP to strengthen its base in East Pune. He previously served as State Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha between 2022 and 2023 and played a key strategic role during the 2024 Assembly elections. He is the founder and president of the Surendra Pathare Foundation, which works in areas such as sports promotion, healthcare, and cultural initiatives, impacting over 35,000 people.

An engineer by training and an alumnus of the College of Engineering Pune (COEP), Surendra Pathare is also the CEO of Royal Infra and heads a luxury residential project in Kharadi.

With both candidates projecting development, youth participation, and grassroots engagement as their core agenda, all eyes are now on whether this husband-wife candidature will emerge as a game-changer for the BJP in the Pune Municipal Corporation elections.