Pimpri-Chinchwad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delivered a sweeping performance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) General Elections 2026, mirroring a trend seen across Maharashtra. As of 4.30 pm, the BJP was leading in 82 of the total 128 seats across 32 wards, well above the majority mark of 65. Amid the party’s dominance, the elections witnessed several high-profile upsets in the city.
One of the biggest shocks was the defeat of former BJP mayor Usha, alias Mai Dhore. Contesting from Seat C of Ward No. 32 (Sangvi Gaonthan), Dhore secured 7,031 votes, while Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Ujjwala Dhore polled 9,176 votes. Usha Dhore had served as mayor during the BJP’s first victory in the 2017 civic elections. The exit of key supporters ahead of the polls is being cited as a major factor behind her loss.
In another major setback, NCP–Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) Pimpri-Chinchwad city president Tushar Kamthe suffered a heavy defeat. Contesting from Seat D of Ward No. 26 (Pimple Nilakh–Kaspate Wasti), Kamthe managed to secure only 11,219 votes against BJP’s Sandeep Kaspate, who surged ahead with 20,498 votes. Political observers attribute Kamthe’s defeat to strong anti-incumbency sentiment and a perceived disconnect with residents during his previous term as corporator.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) also faced significant losses, including the defeat of its prominent Chikhale couple. MNS Pimpri-Chinchwad city president Sachin Chikhale, contesting from Seat D of Ward No. 13 (Nigdi Gaonthan–Yamuna Nagar), was trailing BJP’s Uttam Kendale by nearly 900 votes. His wife, Ashwini Chikhale, contesting from Seat C of the same ward, was trailing Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena candidate Sulabha Ubale by nearly 1,500 votes.
The Ajit Pawar-led NCP also suffered an unexpected blow in Ward No. 25 (Punawale–Tathawade), where NCP candidate Mayur Kalate lost Seat D by a margin of over 10,000 votes to his cousin, BJP’s Rahul Kalate. Notably, Mayur Kalate remained in third position for most of the counting before overtaking Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Chetan Pawar.
Further upsets were reported across several wards. Former corporator Chandrakant Nakhate lost to BJP’s Sagar Kokane from Seat D of Ward No. 27 (Kalewadi–Rahatani). In Ward No. 17 (Chinchwad–Walhekarwadi–Bijli Nagar), BJP candidates faced twin defeats, with Namdev Dhake losing Seat B to NCP’s Bhausaheb Bhoir and Sachin Chinchwade losing to NCP’s Shekhar Chinchwade.
In another notable contest, NCP-SP former corporator Dr Sulakshana Shilwant Dhar defeated former PCMC Sports Committee chairman Jitendra Nanaware of the NCP from Seat A of Ward No. 20 (Pimpri–Vallabh Nagar–Kasarwadi). Meanwhile, former corporator Sheetal Kate, wife of former NCP PCMC leader of opposition Nana Kate, lost Seat B of Ward No. 28 (Pimple Saudagar) to BJP’s Anita Kate, although Nana Kate himself won comfortably from Seat D of the same ward.
