PUNE, 12 NOV. The announcement of the draft reservation lottery for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections has thrown the local political landscape into chaos, effectively sidelining several veteran political leaders. The lottery results show that in 33 of the city's 41 wards, there is only one unreserved seat, making it highly likely that many senior former corporators will have to abandon their hopes of entering the municipal house. The limited availability of open seats means that in many wards, high-profile incumbents from the same party will be forced to compete directly against one another for a single ticket, triggering intense internal conflicts.
This situation has caused a major headache for party elites, who will now face the difficult task of candidate allocation and managing potential dissatisfaction. The reservations have specifically put three former Deputy Mayors—Dr. Siddharth Dhende, Sunita Wadekar, and Saraswati Shendge—in a tight spot. Additionally, prominent leaders such as Aba Bagul, Avinash Bagwe, and former House Leader Ganesh Bidkar are also facing challenges after their traditional wards were reserved for categories like OBC or SC Women. Objections and suggestions regarding the draft reservation can be submitted from November 17 to November 24, before the final list is announced on December 2.
