Pune Congress Leaders Rebel as Independents in November Elections

Three senior Congress leaders from Pune, including a former mayor and an ex-corporator, are running as Independent candidates. They pursued this route after failing to become Maha Vikas Aghadi nominees for the upcoming assembly elections. Their candidacy reveals internal party discontent and strategic contestation dynamics.

Three senior Congress leaders from Pune are contesting the November 20 assembly elections as Independent candidates after not making the Maha Vikas Aghadi nominee list. Among them are former mayor Kamal Vyavhare and ex-corporator Ulhas alias Aaba Bagul.

Bagul is running for the Parvati assembly segment, a seat allocated to NCP (SP) candidate Ashwini Jagtap, who lost to BJP's Madhuri Misal in 2019. Vyavhare and another discontented Congress member, Manish Anand, are competing in Kasba Peth and Shivajinagar constituencies, respectively.

Internal frustrations stem from perceived neglect within Congress, with hopes of once revitalizing traditional strongholds. Senior party leaders are attempting to reconcile the rebels to strengthen efforts against the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

(With inputs from agencies.)