Pimpri-Chinchwad: Nationalist Congress Party–Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) MLA from Karjat Jamkhed, Rohit Pawar, on Thursday made serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of using money power and intimidation tactics during the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Elections 2026.
Speaking to the media in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pawar alleged that the ruling party had spent an “immense amount of money” in the civic polls. He claimed that two senior BJP leaders in the city were financially dependent on the municipal corporation for their political survival. “Looking at the current atmosphere, it does not appear that the BJP will return to power here. Realising this, they have used money to buy leaders and votes in the municipal elections,” he alleged.
Pawar further claimed that Rs 5,000 was distributed for a single candidate in a panel, while amounts ranging between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 were allegedly given for an entire panel. “The BJP leaders are fighting a battle for their survival. The ground is slipping from beneath their feet, and it is becoming evident that they will not win in Pimpri-Chinchwad,” he said.
The NCP-SP leader also alleged that BJP workers were pressuring opposition candidates and intimidating voters. He claimed that during NCP rallies, people were hesitant to step out of their homes, fearing threatening phone calls.
Pawar further shed light on one incident where a BJP worker allegedly abused women at the residence of a female NCP candidate in Pimpri Gaon. “There is a sense of oppression among the people,” he said, adding that his party had shared details of several sensitive polling booths with the police.
Meanwhile, both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party have reunited in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad for the civic elections, setting up a direct contest between the BJP and the unified NCP in both cities.
Rohit Pawar has been campaigning in Pimpri-Chinchwad since Thursday morning, meeting voters and seeking support, and is likely to visit Pune later in the day. While Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was actively involved in campaigning in both cities, he was not seen on the ground after the campaign period ended on Tuesday.
