Pune: Uddhav Sena Faces Setback as Five Pune Corporators Join BJP Ahead of PMC Elections

Mumbai/Pune, 7th January 2025: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) party’s power has taken a hit in Pune as 5 corporators have joined the Mahayuti alliance ahead of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Elections. All of them officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today in Mumbai. In 2017, 10 corporators from the unified Shiv Sena were elected, and now, before the upcoming elections, 5 have entered the BJP.

The corporators who switched parties are Vishal Dhanwade, Bala Oswal, Prachi Alhat, Pallavi Jawale, and Sangeeta Thosar. BJP State President and Revenue Minister of Maharashtra, Chandrashekar Bawankule, inducted them into the party. The joining ceremony was attended by Union Minister of State and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol, Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister and Kothrud MLA Chandrakant Patil, MLAs Ravindra Chavan and Sunil Kamble, BJP’s State General Secretary Rajesh Pandey, BJP Pune City President Dheeraj Ghate, and Former Corporator Baba Misal.

Welcoming the new members, Bawankule stated that those who have joined the BJP for the Hindutva ideology would be well-respected. He emphasized the significance of this party change, saying, “Uddhav Thackeray left the Hindutva ideology for power, but Shiv Sena activists didn’t approve. As a result, many leaders from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena are leaving him.”

Minister Murlidhar Mohol echoed similar sentiments, stating that due to Uddhav Thackeray abandoning Hindutva, many in Shiv Sena are feeling suffocated. Key leaders of Shiv Sena (UBT), including Santosh Sonawane, Nilesh Kulkarni, Amol Raskar, and Hari Rathod, were also present on this occasion and officially joined the party.