Days after writing a letter to the voters of the Wadgaon Sheri assembly constituency, former BJP MLA Jagdish Mulik has reiterated that the BJP will contest the seat.

While speaking to media, Mulik stated that if the BJP receives the ticket, the Mahayuti alliance will definitely win the seat. There have been indications that incumbent MLA Sunil Tingre, a close aide of Ajit Pawar, is likely to get the ticket.

It's important to note that BJP workers in Wadgaon Sheri had previously declared they would not campaign for the incumbent NCP MLA Sunil Tingre.

In the 2019 assembly polls, Mulik lost to NCP’s Sunil Tingre by 4,975 votes.

Tingre and Porsche case

Tingre, the MLA from Wadgaon Sheri in Pune city, faced criticism for allegedly attempting to influence the investigation into an accident to protect the minor driver. This scrutiny intensified after he visited the Yerwada police station, which was handling the case, following the early morning crash on May 19. He dismissed these allegations. However, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar disclosed that NCP MLA Sunil Tingre was questioned by police for three to four hours after the fatal Porsche car crash involving a minor in May in Pune but asserted that his party colleague had no role in the events following the accident.

A Porsche, allegedly driven by a 17-year-old boy—son of a prominent real estate developer—under the influence of alcohol, fatally struck two motorbike-borne IT professionals in Kalyani Nagar, which is part of the Wadgaon Sheri assembly segment.

Wadgaon Sheri constituency

The Wadgaon Sheri constituency in Pune is generating significant political buzz. Recently, BJP leader Bapusaheb Pathare joined the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction). Pathare is likely to be a candidate for the Wadgaon Sheri assembly constituency in Pune, potentially competing against the current NCP MLA Sunil Tingre.

Bapusaheb Pathare, who was previously with the undivided NCP, was elected as an MLA in 2009. He contested the elections again in 2014 but was defeated by BJP's Jagdish Mulik. He did not run in the 2019 election and joined the BJP that same year.