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Women, youth take centre stage in Pune civic poll campaigns
In ward number 3, BJP candidate Aishwarya Surendra Pathare has released a manifesto focussing on women’s health, safety, skill development and empowerment
With the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections entering the final phase, candidates across wards are sharpening their pitch by focusing on women-centric issues and youthful leadership, reflecting changing voter priorities in the city.
In ward number 3, BJP candidate Aishwarya Surendra Pathare has released a manifesto focussing on women’s health, safety, skill development and empowerment.
An IT professional, Pathare has projected herself as a “project manager for the ward rather than a corporator”.
BJP’s civic poll manifesto promises fare concessions for women on metro rail and PMPML buses. The Mahayuti government has already announced a 50 per cent concession for women in state-run buses and a monthly assistance of ₹2,500 under the Ladki Bahin Yojana.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad, 21-year-old Vaishnavi Waghmare is contesting independently from ward number 8. A third-year engineering student, Waghmare has avoided social media campaigning, relying instead on direct interactions with voters. “Corruption pushed me to step forward. My focus is on water quality and healthcare access,” she said, alleging that residents face difficulties accessing Ayushman benefits.
In ward number 3, Congress has fielded 23-year-old Gauri Narsinge, who is pursuing an MBA and is the first in her family to enter politics. Contesting from a seat reserved for Scheduled Caste women, Narsinge said voters were increasingly willing to back educated young candidates. “Power helps you create lasting change, especially when people are ready to listen,” she said.
In ward number 37, BJP candidates - Varsha Tapkir, Arun Rajwade, Bala Dhankawade, and Tejashree Badak - have released a manifesto that promises training and financial help to women self-help groups and skill development programmes for women.
Arun said, “Women are crucial as men but often remain neglected. To ensure that women also progress in every possible way, we have included various promises for them in our ward centric manifesto.”
Chitra Lele, professor of political science, said, “After political parties, local level politicians have also realised the importance of women as a constituency, thanks to schemes like Ladki Behen which helped Mahayuti in Maharashtra to come to power.”
Youth candidates are also making their presence felt across the city. In ward number 9, 24-year-old Jayesh Sanjay Murkute, backed by Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), has turned what was expected to be a routine contest into a closely watched fight in the Baner-Balewadi-Pashan belt. Murkute has built his campaign around civic accountability in a fast-growing area plagued by infrastructure gaps. “This area grew faster than the system. My age is an advantage in a ward dominated by young professionals,” he said.
As polling day approaches, Pune’s civic elections are increasingly being shaped by themes of women’s welfare, accountability and a generational shift in leadership.
