PMC Elections: As campaigning for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections gathers momentum, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has positioned young leader Surendra Pathare as its key face in East Pune, signalling a clear emphasis on youth, education and development-oriented leadership in the civic polls.
Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, speaking at a public interaction on Monday, described Pathare as an educated, capable and forward-looking leader. Mohol said Pathare’s candidature reflects the BJP’s approach of grooming new-generation leadership aligned with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ ‘Developed Maharashtra 2047’ vision.
According to Mohol, leaders like Pathare represent a changing political narrative in Pune—one that blends academic excellence with an understanding of urban governance. He expressed confidence that East Pune would see accelerated and well-planned development with such leadership at the civic level.
Addressing the gathering, Surendra Pathare said development in East Pune would be guided by the long-term vision laid down by the state leadership. “We have to work strictly in accordance with the ‘Developed Maharashtra 2047’ vision of Honorable Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,” Pathare said.
Highlighting East Pune’s rapid transformation, Pathare pointed to ongoing and proposed infrastructure initiatives, including metro expansion, improved road connectivity, the ring road project and the expanding IT ecosystem. He said the region is emerging as one of Pune’s key growth corridors, with rising expectations for sustainable and citizen-centric development.
“Our focus is on development that people can experience in their daily lives—development that is visible even while walking on the footpaths,” Pathare said.
Pathare also said coordinated leadership at the central, state and civic levels would help speed up development works in the area. He expressed confidence that under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol and Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, development in East Pune would gain further momentum.
A gold medallist from the College of Engineering Pune (COEP), Pathare recently joined the BJP in the presence of senior leader Ravindra Chavan. Party leaders view his induction as a boost to the BJP’s organisational strength in East Pune, citing his educational background and development-oriented outlook.
Adding to political interest in the region, both Surendra Pathare and his wife, Aishwarya Pathare, are contesting the PMC elections on BJP tickets. While Surendra Pathare is contesting from Ward No. 4, Aishwarya Pathare has filed her nomination from Ward No. 3.
With urban infrastructure, governance and long-term planning expected to dominate the civic poll discourse, the PMC elections are likely to witness a keen contest in East Pune.
