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Pimpri-Chinchwad: As the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Elections 2026 approach, an interesting battle is set to unfold for the 22 seats in the city, where a total of 47 former corporators and office bearers are going against each other. The party that gains an advantage in these seats will have a massive advantage, as it needs at least 65 seats to gain a majority in PCMC, which has a total of 128 seats.
What this means is potentially that at least 25 former corporators are going to sit at home after the elections conclude, as they are going to lose. Which means this will change the city’s political landscape a lot. The landscapes have changed due to a change in ward structure and reservations, while the final ward formation of PCMC was made. What was perceived as a structure similar to 2017, these battles are proof that a lot has changed since the last elections -- which were almost nine years ago.
The following are the interesting battles in this:
1) Former corporators Sarika Borhade from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Ashwini Jadhav from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will contest in seat B of Ward Number 2 (Kudalwadi, Borhadewad).
2) Former corporators Anuradha Gophane from the BJP and Bhimabai Phuge from the NCP will contest in seat A of Ward Number 5 (Bhosari, Gawali Nagar).
3) Former leader of the opposition, Rahul Bhosale from NCP, will contest former corporator Sadguru Kadam from BJP for seat D of Ward Number 9 (Nehru Nagar, Kharalwadi, Ajmera Colony).
4) Former corporators Pankaj Bhalekar from NCP and Shantara Bhalekar from BJP will contest Seat D of Ward Number 12 (Talawade).
5) Former corporator and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Pimpri-Chinchwad city president Sachin Chikhale will take on former corporator Uttam Kendale from BJP for the D seat of Ward Number 13 (Nigdi, Yamuna Nagar). In the same ward, former corporator Sulbha Ubale from Shiv Sena will take on former corporator Ashwini Chikhale for Seat C. Apart from that, this ward has yet another interesting battle, as former corporators Tanaji Khade from NCP, Ravindra Khilare from Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and Shashikiran Gawali from MNS will be involved in a triple-threat fixture for Seat A.
6) Former corporators Meenal Yadav from BJP and Vaishali Kalbhor from NCP will contest the B seat of Ward 14 (Chinchwad Station, Akurdi, Kalbhor Nagar). The same ward will see Prasad Shetty from the BJP competing against Pramod Kute from the NCP for Seat D.
7) Former leader of the opposition, Sharad Misal from the BJP, will take on former corporator Dhananjay Kalbhor from the NCP for Seat A in Ward Number 15 (Pradhikaran, Nigdi, Akurdi).
8) In Ward Number 17 (Chinchwad, Walhekarwadi, Bijli Nagar), former Leader of the House Namdev Dhake from BJP is set to face off against former Leader of the Opposition Bhausaheb Bhoir from NCP for seat B.
9) A triple threat battle will happen between three former corporators: Suresh Bhoir from BJP, Rajendra Gawade, who is contesting as an independent, and Ashwini Chinchwade Patil from NCP for Seat D of Ward Number 18 (Chinchwad Gaon, Keshav Nagar). Meanwhile, for seat C, former corporators Adv. Moreshwar Shedage from BJP and Anant Korhale from NCP will go head-to-head.
10) In Ward Number 20 (Pimpri, Vallabh Nagar, Kasarwadi) for Seat A, former corporator Dr Sulakshana Shilwant Dhar from NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) will go against former PCMC Sports Committee chairman Jitendra Nanaware from NCP.
11) Former leaders of the opposition, Vinod Nadhe from the BJP and Macchindra Tapkir from the NCP, will battle for Seat C of Ward Number 22 (Kalewadi).
12) In Ward Number 25 (Wakad), there will be a straight contest between former group leader Rahul Kalate from the BJP and former corporator Mayur Kalate from the NCP.
13) NCP-SP Pimpri-Chinchwad City President Tushar Kamathe will take on former corporator Sandeep Kaspate from BJP for seat D of Ward Number 26 (Pimple Nilakh, Kaspate Wasti, Wakad).
14) Former corporators Raju Lokhande from NCP and Shashikant Kadam from BJP will contest for seat C of Ward 29 (Pimple Gurav-Javalkar Nagar).
15) Ward Number 30 (Dapodi, Kasarwadi, Phugewadi) will have interesting battles as well. For Seat A, former corporators Raju Bansode from NCP and Chandrakanta Sonkamble from BJP will contest. For Seat D, a triple threat contest will take place between Rohit Kate from NCP, Sanjay Kate from BJP and Kiran Mote from Shiv Sena.
16) Finally, even Ward Number 32 (Sangvi) will also have interesting battles. For Seat D, former PCMC standing committee chairman Prashant Shitole from the BJP will take on former PCMC standing committee chairman Atul Shitole. Meanwhile, former PCMC mayor Ushatai Dhore from BJP will take on former corporator Sharada Sonawane, who is contesting as an independent candidate.
Couples Contesting Together
In three wards, both husbands and wives are testing their luck in the PCMC elections.
In Ward 13 (Nigdi, Yamunanagar), the MNS has fielded their Pimpri-Chinchwad City President, Sachin Chikhale, for seat C and his wife and former corporator Ashwini Chikhale for seat C. In Ward 16 (Ravet, Mamurdi, Kiwale), the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has fielded former corporator Moreshwar Bhondve for seat D and his wife Jayashree Bhondve for seat B. Similarly, in Ward 28 (Pimple Saudagar), former Leader of the Opposition Nana Kate will contest D, and his wife, former corporator Sheetal Kate, will contest seat B on behalf of the NCP.
There is significant curiosity surrounding whether all three of these couples will successfully enter the Municipal Corporation house.
