BJP Dominates Pune PMC Elections; UP-Bihar Voters Boost Party

• BJP leads significantly in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, with early trends showing dominance.
• Voters from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are believed to have heavily supported BJP, influenced by Raj Thackeray's stance against them, which reportedly harmed Uddhav Thackeray's faction.
• By 1 PM, BJP was leading on 90 seats and had won three, while both NCP factions struggled to make an impact.
• The contest in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad was notable as Ajit Pawar's NCP allied with Sharad Pawar's NCP for the first time since their 2023 split.
• Pune PMC has 165 seats across 41 wards, with a multi-member ward system where each ward elects three or four corporators.

Why It Matters: BJP secured a strong lead in Pune PMC elections, benefiting from UP-Bihar voters and NCP's internal struggles.