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100-day development plan, boats and many more in campaign for PMC polls
Akshada and Premraj Gadade, the couple candidates of NCP(SP) from Parvati ward, have employed boats to campaign for the upcoming elections
With the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections gathering pace, candidates across parties are experimenting with new campaign formats to signal responsiveness and accountability, moving beyond traditional rallies and door-to-door canvassing.
BJP candidate Aishwarya Pathare, a COEP pass-out engineer, contesting from Ward 3, on Saturday, outlined a time-bound plan for her first 100 days if elected, focusing on basic civic services, cleanliness and citizen outreach. The plan includes a ward-level audit through resident interactions to identify priority civic issues, followed by a public status report within the first month of taking office.
The announcement by Pathare, who has been focusing on a data-driven approach, with ward-level assessments and structured presentations to voters, comes amid a wider trend of candidates attempting to differentiate themselves through issue-based and participatory campaign strategies.
“Taking inspiration from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, I am committed to delivering visible and time-bound development. If elected, I will come up with a first 100 days plan for my ward,” Pathare said.
“My focus will be on clean roads, regular water supply, women’s safety, streetlights, waste management and transparent governance. Citizens should feel the change within 100 days, not just hear promises.”
Akshada and Premraj Gadade, the couple candidates of NCP(SP) from Parvati ward, have employed boats to campaign for the upcoming elections. Including boats in their campaign is part of the opposition to the Riverfront Development Project. “We live near the river, and the area is prone to flooding. So we are using boats for the campaign,” said Premraj Gadale.
A common feature across all these localities is the extensive use of social media by candidates contesting the upcoming civic elections. Campaign strategies reflect a mix of outreach methods, focusing both on citizen-centric manifesto issues such as road widening, parking shortages, and incomplete missing links, as well as highlighting development work carried out during previous terms.
Vasant More, Shiv Sena (UBT) city unit chief who is contesting from ward number 38, has deployed an army of workers to make use of social media by posting innovative messages.
