Pune: Last-Day Nomination Rush Triggers Political Flux in Khadakwasla Ahead of PMC Polls
Khadakwasla, 31st December 2025: The closing day for filing nominations for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections turned into a high-voltage political exercise in the Khadakwasla region, where uncertainty over party tickets and last-minute shifts in allegiance dominated the scene.
At the Sinhagad Road regional election office, wards 33, 34, and 35 recorded a combined total of 124 nomination papers filed on Tuesday. The office witnessed heavy footfall throughout the day, with aspirants, party workers, and supporters crowding the premises until the final deadline.
From the early hours, candidates arrived in groups, some accompanied by supporters, demonstrating their strength, to complete the formalities. Nominees representing the Mahayuti, Maha Vikas Aghadi, along with a significant number of independent contenders, submitted their papers during the day.
A major point of tension revolved around the issuance of party authorisation (AB) forms, with several aspirants who were denied official tickets attempting last-minute negotiations or switching loyalties. In multiple wards, the final party-wise candidate picture remained uncertain until the nomination window officially closed.
Election officials confirmed that scrutiny of the nomination papers will take place today.
An emotional moment unfolded when a woman aspirant, who had been hopeful of securing a ticket from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), visited the regional office on both December 29 and December 30 seeking the party’s AB form. When the authorisation did not materialise, she eventually entered the race as an independent candidate.
The aspirant expressed disappointment, alleging that despite the ward being reserved for general women, the party allotted the ticket to an OBC woman candidate, leaving her sidelined. Eyewitnesses said she appeared visibly distressed while exiting the office.
With multiple candidates filing papers under different party banners and as independents, political alignments in several wards are expected to remain unsettled until the final list of candidates is published.
