BJP sees massive rush as over 2,100 aspirants seek PMC poll tickets on first day
Hundreds of party workers and supporters formed long queues outside the city office from early morning, with many aspirants arriving before sunrise to ensure they were among the first to collect candidacy forms.
Pune: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) witnessed a massive turnout of aspiring candidates on Monday as it began accepting applications for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections. Hundreds of party workers and supporters formed long queues outside the city office from early morning, with many aspirants arriving before sunrise to ensure they were among the first to collect candidacy forms.
Party officials reported a steady demand for forms throughout the day. By noon, nearly 2,000 aspirants had already requested applications, and the crowd continued to grow as the day wore on, reflecting strong interest in securing a BJP ticket for the crucial civic polls.
By day’s end, the party had distributed a record 2,135 application forms—a significant jump from previous years, when the number of forms distributed on the first day typically hovered below 1,000.
Senior BJP leaders attributed the massive turnout to the party’s growing influence in the city and its robust organisational network at the ward level. Aspirants came from across Pune, including newly added wards and politically active areas like Bibwewadi, Kothrud, Aundh, Hadapsar, and Shivajinagar.
Among the hopefuls were first-time contenders eager to enter electoral politics, as well as former corporators and sitting party office-bearers looking to secure their position in the new ward structure.
Party functionaries managing the process were prepared for a large turnout but were still taken aback by its scale. Additional counters were set up in the afternoon to accommodate the crowd, and volunteers were deployed to streamline the flow of applicants.
Local leaders suggested the eagerness reflects the belief among BJP workers that the party is in a strong position to win the upcoming elections. The party’s recent developmental work, organisational strength, and past performance in elections have further boosted the confidence of aspirants.
Applications will continue to be accepted over the next few days, after which the party will begin scrutinising the forms and conducting internal assessments before finalising its list of candidates. Party insiders expect intense competition in several wards, particularly where multiple senior workers are staking claims.
For the BJP, the large turnout marks the start of a high-energy campaign season, with the party aiming to consolidate its influence across Pune’s expanding civic limits.
