Pimpri-Chinchwad: Shalinitai Gujar has emerged as the only Independent candidate to win in the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic elections, even as the overall contest remained largely bipolar between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). NCP was joined by the NCP–Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) faction before the elections.
However, the BJP dominated both polls, as they managed to retain power in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad -- securing a comfortable majority.
While everyone’s focus was on this, Shalinitai Gujar was the sole independent winner out of the total 165 seats in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and a total of 128 seats in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
Her victory stands out in an election where political parties dominated almost all wards and Independents failed to make significant inroads. She contested under the wardrobe sign in the PCMC Elections 2026.
Who Is Shalinitai Gujar?
Shalinitai Gujar contested from Seat B of Ward No. 24 (Ganesh Nagar–Padamji Paper Mill), a seat reserved for general women. She was formerly a part of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction. But being denied a chance, she entered the fray as an independent candidate.
Her candidature received backing from the BJP after she filed her nomination. Local BJP leaders, including Chinchwad MLA Shankar Jagtap, openly supported her despite the party not officially allotting her a ticket.
In a closely watched contest, Gujar secured 9,015 votes. NCP candidate Varsha Bhosale finished second with 6,395 votes, followed closely by Independent candidate Rupali Gujar, who polled 6,281 votes. Other candidates in the fray included Independents Nisha Tamhane and Reshma Kshirsagar.
Gujar’s political background and strong local presence played a key role in her victory. A seasoned politician and former corporator, she has previously represented the Thergaon area in the PCMC as a corporator. She was previously associated with the NCP and supported Ajit Pawar after their split.
She hails from an influential political family in Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Wakad and Thergaon area. Her husband, Santosh Gujar, is a well-known local leader and a former corporator. The Gujar family is regarded as one of the established political families in the Thergaon region.
Gujar’s win is being viewed as an exception in an election dominated by major political parties. It has underscored the importance of local influence and personal political networks in civic polls.
