Surendra Pathare, Sayali Wanjale Among Several Leaders Join BJP in Pune Ahead of Municipal Elections
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 20th December 2025: In a significant political development ahead of upcoming civic and assembly-level activities, several former corporators and leaders from Pune, including members from opposition parties, formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday.
The induction ceremony was held at the BJP state office in Mumbai, where Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan welcomed the new entrants into the party. Among those who joined were Surendra Pathare, son of Sharad Pawar NCP faction MLA Bapusaheb Pathare; Sayali Wanjale, daughter of late MLA Ramesh Wanjale; former corporators Sachin Dodke and Balasaheb Dhankawade, along with their supporters.
Leaders from the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction, including Dr Amol Devdekar from Pune and Prashant Tupe from Hadapsar, also joined the BJP. Several current and former office-bearers from the Congress party were part of the induction.
Senior BJP leaders present at the event included Union Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, former MLA Sangram Thopte, Pune city BJP president Dheeraj Ghate, Ganesh Bidkar, Shrinath Bhimale, Yogesh Mulik and BJP media department chief Navnath Ban.
Addressing the gathering, Ravindra Chavan said the leaders had joined the BJP after being inspired by the development-oriented leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He added that the party would ensure due respect and appropriate roles for all new members who had placed their trust in the BJP.
Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol said that individuals with a strong background in social work and public engagement in Pune had joined the BJP, strengthening the party’s organisational base in the city. He stated that the BJP’s development-driven politics under the leadership of Modi and Fadnavis continued to attract leaders across party lines.
Those who joined the BJP from Pune also included Vikas Dangte, Narayan Galande, Rohini Chimte, Kanav Chavan—son of former Congress leader and ex-minister Vasantrao Chavan—Vaishali Tupe, Virajdada Tupe, Khandu Londhe, Payal Tupe, Pratibha Chorge, Shubhangi Hole (Shivarkar), Rajendra Lokhande, Baba Shivarkar, Vidyanand Bondre and Indira Tupe.
From Mulshi taluka, UBT faction worker and former Panchayat Samiti chairman Bhanudas Pansare, along with Ganesh Pansare, Krushnakumar Pansare, Sharad Pawar faction NCP taluka president Anand Majhire, vice-president Santosh Pansare, general secretary Suhas Pansare and vice-president Kiran Marathe, also joined the BJP during the programme.
