Pimpri-Chinchwad: As the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections approach, the city is witnessing a serious Dada vs Dada battle, with both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) eyeing control of the civic body. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar -- the supremo of his faction of the NCP -- and Bhosari MLA Mahesh Landge, both fondly known as Dada, are now clearly pitted against each other in the PCMC polls.
However, the question remains: how did this rivalry begin, considering that Landge was once a loyal aide of Ajit Pawar during the latter’s rise in Pimpri-Chinchwad? It is widely acknowledged across Maharashtra that Ajit Pawar played a pivotal role in shaping Pimpri-Chinchwad’s political landscape -- a city often said to have been ‘made’ by him.
The battle is no secret, as both leaders have taken open jibes at each other despite belonging to parties that are allies in the state government and at the Centre. Ajit Pawar kicked off his party’s campaign for the upcoming PCMC polls in the city last week, where, without naming anyone but leaving little room for doubt, he targeted and criticised Bhosari MLA Mahesh Landge.
Landge, too, has repeatedly hinted at his disapproval of the city’s “second Dada”, carefully avoiding crediting Ajit Pawar for Pimpri-Chinchwad’s development. On one such occasion, Ajit Pawar directly called out Mahesh Landge, saying, “I don’t know what his problem with me is, as he didn’t give me credit,” when the two shared the stage at an event in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Although all of this is quite visible and open to interpretation for anyone who follows the city’s politics even minutely, the key question remains: how did this turn into a rivalry? What prompted a deputy chief minister of the state to go directly against an MLA from the city? Where did it all begin, what has it evolved into, and what might it eventually turn into?
Dada & Dada: The Beginning
MLA Mahesh Landge, a former wrestler from the Bhosari area, began his political career in the mid-1990s, when Ajit Pawar was already an established politician, having served as both an MP and an MLA from Baramati. Despite Ajit Pawar’s early start in politics, his influence in the state was initially limited. He was often seen as operating in the shadow of his uncle, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Union Minister Sharad Pawar.
Their political paths converged in 1999, when Sharad Pawar rebelled against the Congress and formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). With aspirations to play a larger role in national politics, Sharad Pawar placed his trust in his nephew Ajit Pawar to manage the party’s affairs in Maharashtra. This began with giving Ajit Pawar control of the rapidly developing Pimpri-Chinchwad city in the Pune district, where Sharad Pawar already had an established political network.
Mahesh Landge, who had started his political journey in the Congress, also joined the NCP upon its formation. He was among the many party workers in Pimpri-Chinchwad who played a role in helping Ajit Pawar secure control of the PCMC for the first time in 2002.
In 2004, Vilas Lande was given an NCP ticket by Ajit Pawar to contest the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, which he won. As Lande was a corporator from Bhosari, his rise to the Assembly led to a by-election, in which Mahesh Landge emerged victorious, and he formally started his political career.
Over the years, Landge grew into a key leader from the Bhosari area, holding several important positions within the party and the PCMC. His political career reached a high point when Ajit Pawar entrusted him with the post of PCMC Standing Committee chairman just months ahead of the 2014 Assembly elections.
Landge was keen to contest the 2014 elections, but Ajit Pawar once again placed his faith in Vilas Lande. Lande had already won the seat twice. This decision led to Landge’s rebellion, as he contested the election as an Independent candidate and won. His victory is credited to his riding on strong anti-incumbency sentiment against Vilas Lande.
The Spark of Rivalry
The BJP came to power in 2014, both at the state and the Centre. Keen to strengthen its grassroots presence in Maharashtra, the party chalked out a strategy. Pimpri-Chinchwad emerged as one of the key targets in this. As part of this plan, the BJP approached two former NCP leaders. They were the late MLA Laxman Jagtap, who had been with the BJP since the 2009 elections, and Independent MLA Mahesh Landge.
Laxman Jagtap had followed a path similar to Landge’s in 2009, rebelling against the NCP, winning as an Independent, and later joining the BJP. Both leaders were entrusted with the responsibility of leading the party in the 2017 PCMC elections. Backed by their strong grassroots networks and the organisational support of a national party, the BJP dealt Ajit Pawar a major setback by wresting control of the PCMC. Ajit Pawar had enjoyed uninterrupted dominance for nearly 15 years in PCMC.
In the 2017 civic polls, the BJP won 77 of the 128 seats, while the NCP was reduced to just 37. The BJP went on to complete its full term in the PCMC until 2022. Meanwhile, Mahesh Landge was re-elected as MLA from Bhosari on a BJP ticket in 2019, while Laxman Jagtap also retained the Chinchwad seat. For several years, the city’s politics were effectively steered by the two leaders.
However, a series of developments altered the political landscape. In January 2023, MLA Laxman Jagtap passed away following an illness, making Mahesh Landge the BJP’s seniormost leader in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Then, in July 2023, Ajit Pawar joined hands with the BJP and was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister for a record number of times. With this, the two ‘Dadas’ found themselves on the same side once again after nearly a decade.
With the PCMC elections delayed in 2022 and now being held after nearly four years, the civic body -- like many others across the state -- remained under administrative rule during this period. This has effectively provided a clean slate for both the BJP and the NCP, with both parties now looking to regain control of the PCMC, even as a so-called “friendly contest” plays out between allies.
The Power Play Between Two Dadas
The political rivalry between Ajit Pawar and Mahesh Landge has evolved into one of the sharpest personality-driven contests in state politics. Often framed as a clash between the man credited with building the city and a grassroots strongman, the rivalry has intensified ahead of the 2026 PCMC elections.
The rivalry deepened over competing claims to the city’s development. Pawar has reiterated multiple times, “The NCP made Pimpri-Chinchwad the richest municipal corporation in Asia. In the last nine years, the BJP has only given the city debt and corruption.” Landge has countered at times, claiming the BJP changed the face of the city after 2017.
The friction became publicly visible after Ajit Pawar accused the BJP and Landge (without naming him) of being involved in massive corruption and intimidation tactics to poach leaders from other parties. Landge, not backing down, began projecting himself as a leader who is unafraid of Pawar’s authority. Declaring his defiance, Landge famously remarked, “I am a wrestler. I am not afraid. I have a habit of taking people head-on.”
In February 2025, tensions resurfaced when Landge suggested naming a proposed new district “Shivneri”. Pawar immediately dismissed it, saying, “Don’t spread misinformation. No new district is being declared.” Another flashpoint came in late 2025 over action against cow protectors. While Pawar directed police to curb vigilantism, Landge warned, “Cow protection is not a game of marbles. If false cases are filed against Gau Rakshaks, I will not tolerate it.”
At one public event last year, where both shared a stage with CM Fadnavis, Landge, in his speech, completely avoided taking Ajit Pawar’s name to credit him for the city’s development. Ajit Pawar responded sharply at a public event where Landge avoided naming him, saying, “Did you feel it was beneath you to take my name? Development in Pimpri-Chinchwad started when I was an MP, long before you arrived.”
As the PCMC polls draw closer, the rivalry within the allied government shows no signs of easing. Both parties kicked off their campaigns last week, with Ajit Pawar targeting Mahesh Landge and Landge responding in kind, even as both leaders continue to avoid naming each other directly.
What’s Next?
This rivalry is sure to decide who will take control of the PCMC as the polls near. Despite being sour, the relationship between the two Dadas is complex, as it carries a long history and several unsaid interactions that have not yet come into the public domain.
The picture will become clear on 16th January 2026, when the results of all municipal corporation elections, including the PCMC, are declared.
The BJP and the NCP continue to be allies in the state government, and, as things stand, Ajit Pawar will remain Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, while Mahesh Landge will continue as the Bhosari MLA. Neither of their positions appears likely to change until the next Assembly elections in 2029.
For the time being, it appears that once the elections are over, the hatchet will be buried -- at least temporarily.
