Pimpri-Chinchwad: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Standing Committee Chairperson Seema Savale launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Bhosari MLA Mahesh Landge on Friday.
A condolence meeting for the late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was organised on Friday at the Prof. Ramkrishna More Auditorium in Chinchwad, where people from all parties participated.
Moments after MLA Mahesh Landge asked forgiveness of the late Ajit Pawar, Seema Savale was called up on stage to share her thoughts about Ajit Pawar, and that's when she launched her harsh criticism of MLA Landge.
On 28th January, a shocking report emerged that left everyone stunned as Ajit Pawar and four others were declared dead due to a private aircraft crash in Baramati. Since then, all political clashes have faded into the background, with leaders across the spectrum coming together to fondly remember Ajit Pawar and his legacy.
The same sentiment was witnessed in Pimpri-Chinchwad city on Friday, when MLA Mahesh Landge organised an all-party condolence meeting for the late Deputy Chief Minister at the Prof. Ramkrushna More Auditorium in Chinchwad.
When invited to speak about the beloved “Dada” on stage, MLA Landge appeared visibly emotional and said only, “Ajit Dada, please forgive me,” before stepping down and allowing other dignitaries to express their grief. However, moments after this, former corporator Seema Savale came on stage and slammed MLA Landge.
Who is Seema Savale?
Seema Savale is a prominent and firebrand political figure in Pimpri-Chinchwad politics. Her career is marked by a reputation for being an aggressive “whistleblower” and an activist-turned-politician.
Before becoming a mainstream political leader, Seema Savale gained massive popularity as an RTI (Right to Information) activist. She, along with associate Sarang Kamtekar, was famous for exposing alleged corruption within the PCMC.
She consistently targeted the ruling parties (historically the NCP) over “white elephant projects” and administrative irregularities. Her work in the early 2000s earned her a “giant-killer” reputation in local circles.
She decided to join politics after working as an RTI activist for a few years and initially rose to prominence within the Shiv Sena, serving as a corporator. After being elected from Shiv Sena in the 2007 and 2012 municipal polls, she moved to the BJP ahead of the 2017 elections under the wings of the late MLA Laxman Jagtap and MLA Mahesh Landge.
Traditionally a critic of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, it is well known that Seema Savale nevertheless held deep respect for Ajit Pawar, even while frequently criticising the party. She joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP just a few weeks before the 2026 PCMC elections, where she narrowly lost after contesting against male candidates by a margin of around 200 votes.
What Did Seema Savale Say?
Moments after MLA Landge asked for forgiveness from the late Ajit Pawar, Seema Savale came on the stage and stated firmly that the development of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is credited solely to Ajit Pawar. Directly confronting Landge’s history, she said, "This city was developed by Ajit Dada. Whatever you are today is also because of Ajit Dada."
Reminding him of the importance of choosing words carefully in politics, Savale added, "When your words were echoing through the rally grounds back then, it caused us immense pain. It wasn’t just us -- many party workers and citizens felt terrible about what was said."
Concluding her criticism, Seema Savale once again pointed to the arrogance of power. "Such things happen when the intoxication of power takes over," she said, indirectly questioning Landge’s past conduct. This exchange of words is expected to further heat up the political climate in Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Meanwhile, paying her respects to Ajit Pawar, Seema Savale said, "My leadership was shaped by Ajit Pawar. Ajit Dada belonged to the entire state. At that time, he personally called me and gave me the candidacy. After my defeat in the election, I received a phone call saying, 'The lioness has fallen behind.' While building a memorial for Ajit Pawar, one should not have to thank anyone. Every leader in this city owes a debt of gratitude to Ajit Dada."
