Pune: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Pune is grappling with a severe oversubscription of candidates ahead of the next Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections. An astonishing number of 1,000 aspirants are trying to get a chance to contest PMC's 165 seats. This intense competition has forced the party leadership to implement a rigorous and potentially controversial selection process.
Sources within the party say that the party will prioritise youth and focus on future leadership development. This move, however, is expected to sideline around 50% of its seasoned former and current corporators.
The stringent selection strategy is being overseen by the newly appointed Election Chief, former PMC House Leader Ganesh Bidkar, who faces the complex task of balancing experience with youthful dynamism. The party has formalised a "50-50" formula, aiming to field a slate composed of 50% new faces and 50% veteran leaders.
The criteria for new entrants heavily favour young, energetic leaders who demonstrate a visible commitment to grassroots organisational work. These candidates must be actively running campaigns and engaging in public outreach. The goal is explicitly stated as preparing the next generation of party leaders.
To ensure electoral success, the BJP is also adopting a ward-by-ward analysis. The final candidates will be selected using a “man-to-man marking” approach. In this, the party will assess the likely strong opposition candidate in a given ward and select the best-suited BJP aspirant to counter them.
This meticulous process, supported by internal surveys to gauge local strength, is also guiding the final list of potential cross-party entries into the BJP. BJP is expected to contest the PMC elections independently. The party might finalise the candidatures and related high-profile political entries within the next 15 to 20.
