Pune: Counting for the 29 municipal corporations in the state are ongoing. People's attention is focused on some of the candidates who remained in the spotlight since the election announcement. One such name is Prashant Jagtap. Prashant Jagtap, who switched parties and joined the Congress, has won the election. His first post after the victory is currently being discussed.
Prashant Jagtap, a long-time supporter of Sharad Pawar and former Pune Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president, remained loyal to Pawar for 27 years, even after Ajit Pawar's split. However, Jagtap resigned from the NCP due to disagreements on principles, joined the Congress party, and subsequently won the election. Following his victory, Jagtap posted on X (formerly Twitter) to thank his constituency.
He said, "Heartfelt thanks from the people of Wanwadi Salunkhe Vihar division..! This victory is not that of an individual named Prashant Jagtap.. This is the victory of the progressive ideals of Shiv - Shahu - Phule - Ambedkar, of the trust of the people in the division, and of my unwavering commitment to those ideals! I give you my word that I will certainly strive to prove your trust justified."
Jagtap had been with the NCP since its formation in 1999. He served as a corporator in the Pune Municipal Corporation for many years. Prashant Jagtap, who contested the election from the Wanwadi constituency, was the Mayor of Pune in 2016-17. In 2021, he was appointed as the Pune city president of the Nationalist Congress Party. In 2023, Ajit Pawar rebelled. Many leaders in the party left Sharad Pawar and joined Ajit Pawar. But Prashant Jagtap remained with Sharad Pawar. Later, in the 2024 assembly elections, Sharad Pawar gave Prashant Jagtap a ticket from the Hadapsar constituency. However, Chetan Tupe defeated Prashant Jagtap by 7,000 votes. Even after that, Prashant Jagtap remained in the NCP. But before the municipal corporation elections, he left Sharad Pawar and joined the Congress. Now he has won the election contesting on a Congress party ticket.