Is The Jagtap Family’s Hold On Chinchwad Politics Beginning To Slip?

Reported by Varad Bhatkhande

Chinchwad, 15th October 2024: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders, led by Ajit Pawar, have been showing discontent in Chinchwad against the Jagtap family. Now, key leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also started opposing the Jagtaps. Former corporators Shatrughna Kate and Chandrakant Nakhate organized a meeting today where clear opposition to nominating the Jagtaps was expressed.

From the start, it was almost certain that the sitting BJP MLA, Ashwini Jagtap, or her brother-in-law, Shankar Jagtap, who is currently the Pimpri Chinchwad City President for BJP, would receive the candidacy. However, there is now strong opposition to their candidature from within the BJP itself. Ex-corporators Chandrakant Nakhate and Shatrughna Kate convened a meeting with other former corporators to discuss the matter, and some expressed their stance during the meeting.

Sources revealed that the decision taken at this meeting was that they would work for the party only if someone other than a member of the Jagtap family was nominated. Many former corporators from the Chinchwad Constituency attended, including Chandrakant Nakhate, Shatrughna Nakhate, Sandeep Kaspate, Kailas Barne, Siddheshwar Barne, Balasaheb Owhal, Madhuri Kulkarni, Sunita Tapkir, Savita Nakhate, along with others.

No End to Shankar Jagtap’s Troubles

Late MLA Laxman Jagtap passed away in January 2023, after which his wife, MLA Ashwini Jagtap, won the by-elections. Shankar Jagtap, the brother of the late Laxman Jagtap, was overlooked at that time as well. Since the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections, there has been speculation about a potential battle between Ashwini Jagtap and Shankar Jagtap for the Chinchwad seat. However, Ashwini Jagtap took a mature step by stating that if the party nominated Shankar, she would campaign for him.

Initially, it seemed Shankar Jagtap would have an easy path to candidacy, but opposition arose from within the Mahayuti alliance, including leaders like Vitthal Kate and Bhausaheb Bhoir. Now, even within his own party, the BJP, people have begun to oppose his candidature, further deepening the rift within the Mahayuti and compounding his challenges.