Pune: Contesting her maiden municipal election from the Bavdhan–Bhusari Colony ward, Rupali Pawar clinched a victory on Friday, defeating NCP candidate Jayashree Marne. Pawar is not an isolated example in the city, as several candidates emerged as first-time winners from various wards. All of them are set to take the oath as corporators and become members of the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) general body for the next five years.NCP candidate Pratik Kadam, who contested from Upper Super Indiranagar, was also a first-time winner. He and his supporters celebrated his victory after the results were declared on Friday afternoon. “I am overwhelmed by the win. I shall continue to work for the residents of my ward and fulfil the assurances made to citizens ahead of the polls,” Kadam said. Leaders from both the BJP and the NCP said their parties had fielded several candidates who were contesting their maiden municipal elections. A functionary from the BJP’s city unit said, “Many candidates fighting their first elections were able to clinch victories from their respective wards. In every election, the BJP has expressed confidence in young candidates. This time too, the party decided to give tickets to first-timers. The party now expects all corporators to work towards the development of the city and their wards.”Other first-time winners included Kunal Tilak, son of late MLA Mukta Tilak; Nisha Manwatkar from the Gokhalenagar area; Veena Ghosh from the Sahakarnagar–Padmavati ward; and Siddhi Shilimkar from the Mukundnagar–Salisbury Park ward. Swapnali Pandit, who contested her maiden election from the Shaniwar Peth–Mahatma Phule Mandai ward, won by defeating Rupali Patil and Amruta Bhokre. Interestingly, three candidates from the Aundh–Bopodi ward—Sapana Chhajed, Sunny Nimhan and Bhakti Gaikwad—also emerged victorious.Sunny Nimhan, the son of late MLA Pramod Nimhan, said he had been addressing various civic issues in his ward over the past few years. “There is significant work to be done in the wards. The major challenges are related to road infrastructure, water supply, daily cleaning and waste management. These issues would be taken up in phases,” he said.A former PMC corporator, on the condition of anonymity, said first-time corporators face significant challenges in improving civic services in their areas and in effectively utilising funds allocated to them through the civic budget.
