Daijiworld Media Network - Pune
Pune, Dec 8: With the announcement of municipal elections in several cities across Maharashtra expected soon, political activity has intensified across party lines. In Pune, the BJP has begun efforts to strengthen its position and reclaim the Municipal Corporation, reaching out not only to allies but also to leaders from opposition parties. However, a core committee meeting held on Sunday sparked major tensions within the party.
According to sources, a heated exchange broke out between Khadakwasla BJP MLA Bhimrao Tapkir and MP & Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol over the proposed induction of Sachin Dodke, a key loyalist of NCP (Sharad Pawar) leaders Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule, from the Khadakwasla Assembly constituency.
Dodke, who is reportedly keen on joining the BJP, has already put up banners in the constituency with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Murlidhar Mohol, declaring, “I am coming at the request of the people, to serve Khadakwasla.” His posters have fuelled speculation that his entry into the BJP is imminent.
However, MLA Tapkir strongly opposed Dodke’s induction, citing their intense political rivalry. Dodke had contested against Tapkir in both the 2019 and 2024 Assembly elections. While the 2019 contest saw Dodke lose by a narrow margin of 2,595 votes, Tapkir defeated him decisively in 2024 by over 52,000 votes. Dodke is considered Tapkir’s staunch political opponent in the constituency.
Sources said that during the BJP core committee meeting, Mohol supported Dodke’s entry, leading to a sharp verbal clash between him and Tapkir.
The development has triggered questions over internal discord in the BJP, especially since workers at the grassroots have already expressed resentment over the increasing number of “outsiders” being brought into the party. This is reportedly the first time that such a confrontation has erupted directly in a party meeting over potential inductions.
As the municipal elections draw closer, all eyes are now on the BJP’s state leadership, which will have to take a final call on whether to admit Sachin Dodke into the party—amid growing internal resistance and political sensitivity in Khadakwasla.