BJP to skip mayoral election celebrations; PMC cancels Foundation Day events as mark of respect to Ajit Pawar

BJP leader Ganesh Bidkar said the election would be a formality, as the party holds a clear majority of 119 corporators in the civic body

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided not to hold any celebrations after the mayoral election at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), scheduled for February 9, 2026, as a mark of respect following the death of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

Meanwhile, Pune Municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram announced the cancellation of all cultural programmes scheduled for the PMC’s Foundation Day. (HT)

BJP leader Ganesh Bidkar said the election would be a formality, as the party holds a clear majority of 119 corporators in the civic body. “Though BJP’s Manjusha Nagpure is set to become the next mayor, we will limit ourselves to a brief congratulatory proposal for the mayor and deputy mayor. There will be no celebrations,” Bidkar said.

He added that BJP corporators would instead pay homage to Ajit Pawar after the election. “As advised by our senior leaders, we have decided against celebrating the mayoral election. Many of us worked closely with Ajit Pawar when he served as Pune district guardian minister and during his tenure at the PMC,” Bidkar said.

Meanwhile, Pune Municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram announced the cancellation of all cultural programmes scheduled for the PMC’s Foundation Day. “In view of the passing of deputy chief minister and Pune district guardian minister Ajit Pawar, all cultural programmes planned for Foundation Day have been scrapped,” Ram said.