Pimpri-Chinchwad: A new generation of established political families has formally entered local politics in Pimpri-Chinchwad, as Vishwajeet Barne, son of Shiv Sena’s Maval MP Shrirang Barne, and Siddharth Bansode, son of Pimpri MLA and Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Anna Bansode, won their political debuts in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) General Elections 2026.
Both debutants were elected as corporators from their respective wards, overcoming early criticism that labelled their candidatures as products of nepotism and questioned their eligibility and political experience. Their victories have now put those doubts to rest.
Siddharth Bansode’s contest turned out to be one of the closest battles of the elections. He initially trailed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Kamlesh Dashrath Walke by just six votes in Seat A of Ward No. 9 (Nehru Nagar–Kharalwadi). However, the tide turned in the afternoon rounds of counting, and by 3.30 pm, Siddharth Bansode had taken a clear lead with 3,875 votes, while Walke secured 3,544 votes.
Ward No. 9 witnessed a multi-cornered contest with 11 candidates in the fray. Apart from Bansode and Walke, the candidates included Umesh Ram Khandare of the Congress, Baba Balu Kamble of the BSP, Sagar Gopal Suryawanshi of Shiv Sena (UBT), Dhammaraj Navnath Salwe of NCP–Sharadchandra Pawar, Shubham Ram Tandale of Shiv Sena, Ashok Chandrakant Bansode of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Bhikaram Kisan Kamble of the Republican Sena, and Independent candidates Akshay Sanjay Telangi and Pravin Rambhau Kamble.
Meanwhile, Vishwajeet Barne maintained a comfortable lead from the beginning of counting. Contesting on a Shiv Sena ticket from Seat A of Ward No. 24 (Ganesh Nagar–Padamji Paper Mill), Barne secured 4,977 votes as of 3.30 pm, ahead of BJP candidate Siddheshwar Barne, who had polled 4,228 votes.
Polling for the PCMC elections was held on Thursday across 128 seats in 32 wards from 7.30 am until around 8 pm, while counting began at 10 am on Friday. Since the announcement of nominations earlier this month, both debutants had drawn significant public attention, and their victories are being seen as a generational shift in Pimpri-Chinchwad’s civic politics.
