Pimpri, 3rd January 2026: Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan on Saturday publicly acknowledged that the party now views its decision to align with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar as a political miscalculation, amid intensifying political sparring ahead of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections.
Speaking at the launch of the BJP’s civic poll campaign at Bhakti–Shakti Chowk in Nigdi, Chavan said several party leaders from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad had cautioned against the alliance. He claimed that these concerns were also communicated privately to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
“Everyone knows the circumstances under which Ajit Pawar joined the BJP-led alliance. Senior party office-bearers had advised against it. Today, we are regretting that decision,” Chavan said, adding that questions now arise over “who is speaking on whose strength.”
The event was attended by BJP election in-charge MLA Shankar Jagtap, MLAs Mahesh Landge, Amit Gorkhe, Uma Khapre, city unit president Shatrughan Kate, former MP Amar Sable, and former mayor Sanjay Waghre.
Chavan’s remarks came hours after Ajit Pawar made serious allegations against the BJP’s administration of the Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body. Dismissing those charges, Chavan alleged that Pawar was following a politically scripted narrative.
“Ajit Pawar is part of the alliance at both the Centre and the state. However, in this election, he has lost ground. Without guidance from external agencies, such baseless allegations would not be made,” Chavan said.
He asserted that the BJP maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. “We will neither engage in corruption nor allow it. Local self-government institutions will function transparently. Once the elections are over, Pawar himself will say, ‘Let it go, it’s finished.’ For now, the approach is to repeat lies aggressively,” Chavan alleged.
Expressing confidence in the party’s organisational strength, Chavan said voters were politically aware and focused on development. “The BJP organisation is strong, and the next mayor will be from the BJP,” he claimed.
Responding to questions on why BJP legislators had not immediately countered Pawar’s allegations, Chavan said the party follows a disciplined hierarchy. “When a Deputy Chief Minister makes allegations, the response must come from a leader of equivalent stature. The BJP functions through a structured and disciplined system,” he explained.
Chavan further took a swipe at Pawar’s political approach, alleging excessive reliance on consultants. Referring to Pawar’s earlier accusations of a Rs 70,000-crore irrigation scam, Chavan said Pawar had not objected to power-sharing arrangements at that time.
“Now the advisory agency has changed, and perhaps it lacks accurate information,” he remarked.
Accusing Pawar of being guided by political consultancies, Chavan claimed that agencies decide not only statements but also public appearances. “These agencies operate with massive funding, run coordinated trolling campaigns, and script speeches that are then delivered for publicity,” he alleged.
The post PCMC Elections 2026: Ajit Pawar’s Induction into BJP a ‘Mistake,’ Says State BJP Chief Ravindra Chavan appeared first on Punekar News.
