Pune: In a high-stakes finish to the 2026 Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, Amol Balwadkar emerged victorious on Friday in Ward No. 9D (Baner-Sus-Pashan), marking one of the hardest-fought wins in the city’s civic history. The result, declared late Friday, saw Balwadkar, contesting on an NCP (Ajit Pawar) ticket, defeat his closest rival, Lahu Balwadkar of the BJP, in what was widely described as a prestige battle.
A Turning Point For Baner-Balewadi
The contest in Ward 9D was arguably the most-watched in the city. Amol Balwadkar, a former BJP heavyweight and ex-corporator, made headlines earlier this month when he defected to the NCP after being denied a ticket by his former party. The defection followed a public fallout with senior BJP leaders, including Minister Chandrakant Patil, over political representation in the Kothrud and Baner regions.
The surname scramble at the ballot box, where voters faced two candidates with the last name Balwadkar, did little to deter the electorate. Amol Balwadkar’s victory is being viewed as a validation of his local developmental work and a key personal rebuff to the BJP leadership that sidelined him.
The Final Victory Of Pune Civic Polls
As the final results of the 41-ward election trickled in, Balwadkar’s win was noted as the closing chapter of the 2026 polls. His supporters erupted in celebrations at the counting centre, waving NCP flags and shouting slogans.
