Political Tug-of-War Over Pune’s Ward Restructure; Draft Faces Delay Amid Power Struggle
Political Tug-of-War Over Pune’s Ward Restructure; Draft Faces Delay Amid Power Struggle
Pune, July 31, 2025: The draft plan for the ward restructuring of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is in its final stages, but growing political interference is reportedly delaying its completion. Leaders from all three parties in the ruling Mahayuti alliance—BJP, NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction)—are said to be pressuring senior civic officials to shape the ward boundaries to their political advantage.
According to sources, senior leaders have made “cordial yet persistent” outreach to municipal authorities, creating tension within administrative circles. The current plan is said to mirror the 2017 ward structure, but the political dynamics following the rise of the Mahayuti alliance have influenced new demands and expectations.
Opposition parties, including Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), have taken a strong stand against what they claim is politically motivated restructuring aimed at sidelining them. A meeting was held at Congress Bhavan on Wednesday, and city Congress chief Arvind Shinde announced that party leaders will meet PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram on Thursday, followed by a delegation visit to the Governor in Mumbai next week.
Due to ongoing political pressure, officials involved in the ward redrawing process are reportedly working discreetly to avoid interference. Some are said to be operating under the radar to prevent premature exposure of the revised plan.
This is the first time the ward draft is to be submitted to the state’s Urban Development Department before being forwarded to the State Election Commission. Sources indicate that PMC is preparing to submit the plan within the next two to three days, ahead of the August 5 deadline.
Amid escalating political lobbying, the administration appears inclined to finalize and submit the plan as soon as possible to avoid further manipulation.
