E-Paper
Old city wards emerge as key battlegrounds in Pune civic polls
Peth areas like Nana Peth, Ravivar Peth, Budhwar Peth, Ganesh Peth, Bhavani Peth and Shukruwar Peth have the dominance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP
As voting for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections draws near, political attention is focused on the city’s historic heart—Bhavani Peth and Kasba–Vishrambaugwada—two areas known for some of the prominent political fights.
Bhavani Peth regional office includes ward 22 (Kashewadi-Dias Plot), ward 23 (Ravivar Peth-Nana Peth) and ward 24 (Kasba Ganpati-Kamala Nehru Hospital-KEM Hospital). While Kasba-Vishrambaug regional office includes ward 25 (Shaniwar Peth-Mahatma Phule Mandai), ward 27 (Navi Peth-Parvati) and ward 28 (Janata Vasahat-Hingane Khurd).
Kashewadi-Dias Plot, a traditional stronghold of the Congress, saw two BJP wins in the 2017 civic polls. From this ward Indira Bagwe (Congress) and Avinash Bagwe (Congress), son and daughter-in-law of Congress leader Ramesh Bagawe, are locked horns against BJP candidates.
Peth areas like Nana Peth, Ravivar Peth, Budhwar Peth, Ganesh Peth, Bhavani Peth and Shukruwar Peth have the dominance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP.
The densely populated peth areas face issues like garbage, low water pressure , traffic jams, renovation of old wadas, narrow lanes, illegal parkings.
Ward 24 distributed in Kasba and Pune cantonment legislative assembly constituents has the dominance of BJP and Congress. While Ravindra Dhangekar with support from Congress defeated BJP’s Ganesh Bidkar in the previous polls, Dhangekar’s son Pranav Dhangekar (Shiv Sena) has locked horns against Bidkar this time.
Political analysts said that in the two historic wards Bhavani Peth and Kasba–Vishrambaug Wada where civic issues are at the forefront and voters are increasingly issue-aware, the battle may not simply be between the big parties but also between candidates who connect directly with residents’ concerns.
