Pimpri-Chinchwad: Senior Corporator Bhausaheb Bhoir has been appointed as the Group Leader of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), officials announced on Wednesday. As the NCP is the second-largest party, its group leader will also serve as the leader of the opposition.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections were made a matter of prestige by the late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. He personally handled everything from selecting candidates to managing the campaign.
The late Ajit Pawar heavily targeted local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders over alleged corruption in the PCMC. However, the NCP met with limited success, winning 37 seats in the Pimpri-Chinchwad civic polls. Being the second-largest party, its group leader is entitled to the Leader of the Opposition post.
Several prominent figures were vying for this post, including former Leader of the Opposition Bhausaheb Bhoir, former Mayor Vaishali Ghodekar, and multiple-time corporator Sandeep Waghere. Waghere’s chances were quite high, as he was the panel chief who successfully led all four corporators to victory in Ward No. 21 (Pimpri Gaon–Jijamata Hospital).
The late Ajit Pawar, a few days before his death, had previously hinted that he wanted an aggressive face who would speak out against irregularities for the role. However, the process of registering the group leader was delayed due to the untimely and sudden demise of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on 28th January.
The names of the interested candidates were sent to the NCP Maharashtra State President, Sunil Tatkare. Tatkare officially approved the name of senior corporator Bhausaheb Bhoir. Following this, NCP City President Yogesh Behl submitted the appointment letter to the Pune Divisional Commissioner. The formal registration of NCP corporators is scheduled for Wednesday. This appointment marks Bhoir's second term as the Leader of the Opposition.
Despite not being in power in the PCMC, the NCP maintains a strong presence in the city. In the recent elections, 37 corporators were elected, and 76 candidates secured the second-highest number of votes, indicating a robust organisational base. Additionally, the MLA from the Pimpri Assembly Constituency belongs to the party, and the party is set to have three nominated (co-opted) corporators in the house.
