Ahead of the Pune civic polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party had announced Pooja More as its candidate from Ward No. 2. However, the decision sparked intense backlash from within the party, with several BJP workers openly opposing her nomination.
Much of the criticism centred on her past statements, including her reaction after the Pahalgam attack and earlier remarks critical of Devendra Fadnavis, which resurfaced on social media and led to trolling on social media.
As the internal opposition grew stronger, party workers launched a campaign against her candidature. And with the mounting pressure, eventually, Pooja More withdrew her nomination. During the press conference, she, along with her husband, became emotional during the announcement.
After stepping aside, Pooja More spoke about her personal journey, saying she comes from a very modest background and has faced years of struggle. She shared that she moved to Pune after marrying Dhananjay Jadhav and actively participated in farmers’ movements, even enduring police baton charges, criminal cases and repeated court visits.
More added that there were times when she lacked the financial means to fight legal battles, yet she persisted. Receiving a ticket from the BJP, she said, was a rare and fortunate opportunity for a grassroots worker like her, and she hoped to use it to work for justice for people at the lowest levels of society.
During the press meet, More said, “A small mistake from her past was magnified and turned into a conspiracy against her.” She clarified that her initial reaction to the Pahalgam attack was given immediately, but after meeting victims and locals, she understood that the attack had targeted people based on religion.
She also said that her photograph with Rahul Gandhi was taken when she met him during the Bharat Jodo Yatra to submit a memorandum on farmers’ issues. Reaffirming her resolve, More said she is a fighter, remains a BJP worker, and is committed to working for Hindutva.
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