Pune News: As the political landscape heats up in Maharashtra following the Supreme Court’s green light for municipal elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has once again shown confidence in senior leader Dheeraj Ghate, reappointing him as Pune city president.
The announcement was made as part of a wider reshuffle across the state, where the BJP declared names of 58 district and city unit heads. In Pune, Ghate has returned to the key position at a time when the party is gearing up for the long-pending Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections.
With civic body elections expected soon, BJP is working quickly to restructure its organizational units. The responsibility for Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Baramati, and Maval had been handed to MP Dhananjay Mahadik, who was tasked with surveying the ground and overseeing internal voting.
According to party insiders, a close contest for the Pune city chief post had emerged among Dheeraj Ghate, former House Leader Ganesh Bidkar, ex-corporator Varsha Tapkir, and senior leader Shrinath Bhimale. After weeks of internal deliberations and grassroots-level assessments, Ghate emerged as the frontrunner.
Sources reveal that several BJP workers and city unit leaders had pushed for Ghate’s return, arguing that his first term as city chief was cut short. A formal request to extend his tenure was submitted earlier this year, citing the overlap with both Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, during which he played a crucial organizational role.
Following feedback collected by Mahadik and submitted to the BJP’s state leadership, the party’s core committee finally gave the nod to reinstate Ghate — a move seen as recognition of his past performance and mass connect.
Appointed as Pune BJP president for the first time in 2023, Dheeraj Ghate is known for expanding the party’s base through large-scale membership drives. A longtime RSS volunteer and former municipal corporator and house leader in the PMC (2017–2022), Ghate is considered an efficient grassroots mobilizer.
Under his leadership, BJP achieved significant victories in both state and general elections in Pune. He also spearheaded digital and on-ground campaigns to attract new members and energize the party machinery.
With municipal elections on the horizon, Ghate’s responsibilities have increased significantly. He will now oversee the formation of a new city executive team, appointing general secretaries, morcha heads, and various other unit leaders. Whether he chooses to continue with his previous team or induct fresh faces remains to be seen.
“This is a huge responsibility and a proud moment,” said Ghate in a brief statement. “The organization trusted me again, and I’m committed to ensuring BJP’s success in the upcoming PMC elections. Our goal is clear — bring a BJP mayor back to Pune.”
Ghate’s reappointment signals BJP’s intent to maintain a firm grip on Pune, a city that holds significant weight in Maharashtra politics. With urban voters, party cadre, and RSS support aligning behind him, Ghate is now positioned as the face of BJP’s mission Pune.
As Pune gears up for its civic polls, all eyes will be on how Ghate balances organizational unity, candidate selection, and campaign strategy — especially with opposition parties also strengthening their ground game.