NCP appoints Nilesh Nikam as PMC opposition leader after civic polls, while BJP moves to finalise leader.
The Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has appointed senior leader Nilesh Nikam as its party leader in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Nikam will take over as Leader of the Opposition because the NCP holds the second-largestparty position in the civic body.
NCP Pune city president Sunil Tingre and party leader Subhash Jagtap made the announcement. Nikam will now operate as the party leader to manage PMC councillors while he directs all opposition activities taking place in the corporation.
Nikam expressed appreciation to party members who chose him for his new position. His prior experience in municipal operations will enable him to fulfil his duties properly while raising citizens' civic issues during official meetings.
Nikam is no stranger to Pune’s civic politics. He has previously worked as both Leader of the House and Chairman of the Standing Committee in the Pune Municipal Corporation. As a practising advocate, he has built his professional expertise through representing local areas that include Senapati Bapat Road and Gokhalenagar.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the civic elections in Pune, which serve as the basis for this development. The BJP won 119 of the 165 seats, while the NCP finished with 27 corporators. The Congress party secured 15 seats, and the Sharad Pawar–led NCP (SP) obtained three seats. Shiv Sena failed to win any seat, while Shiv Sena (UBT) managed to open its account with one corporator.
The BJP currently selects its Leader of the House for the PMC. The BJP corporators needed to submit their applications, according to sources who reported that Ganesh Bidkar, Dheeraj Ghate, and Bhimale stand as the top candidates. The final decision is expected after consultations with the party’s state leadership in Mumbai, likely by Wednesday afternoon.
