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Pune civic polls: NCP candidate Sonali Andekar wins municipal corporation elections from prison

Updated on: 16 January,2026 07:02 PM IST  |  Pune
mid-day online correspondent |
Written by: Tarun Verma | tarun.verma@mid-day.com

In a rare episode in Pune civic polls, Sonali Andekar secured victory from Ward No. 23 while lodged in prison. Her “victory from jail” has drawn attention and sparked intense political debate across Pune

Pune civic polls: NCP candidate Sonali Andekar wins municipal corporation elections from prison

Sonali Andekar won the Pune civic polls despite being in jail

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Pune civic polls: NCP candidate Sonali Andekar wins municipal corporation elections from prison
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In a rare and remarkable development in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, Sonali Andekar, who contested the Pune civic polls representing NCP, has won while still being lodged in prison. Sonali Andekar’s win has drawn widespread attention and sparked intense political debate across Maharashtra.


NCP leader Sonali Andekar’s victory is being described as one of the most unusual instances in the history of Pune civic polls. This win has significantly altered the political equations in ward no. 23. Despite her arrest, Andekar managed to secure the mandate of voters, underlining the complexity of local political dynamics and the strong support she enjoys at the grassroots level.



As soon as the results of the Pune civic polls were announced, Andekar’s supporters erupted in celebrations across the ward. Andekar’s supporters termed this as a “victory from jail”. 

Soon after the NCP candidate was declared as the winner, party workers and residents gathered in large numbers, raising slogans and distributing sweets to mark what they called a historic win.

The rather surprising result emerged as one of the most talked-about developments of the Pune Municipal Corporation. Sonali Andekar’s unexpected victory is likely to influence future strategies of rival parties in the ward and could have wider ramifications for civic politics in Pune.

As attention now turns to the next steps, questions remain over the administrative and political impact of Sonali Andekar’s win, even as her supporters celebrate a result that has defied conventional electoral expectations.

BJP’s youngest candidate, Sai Thopte, clinches victory in Pune

In another surprising election result, Sai Thopte of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious from Ward No. 36(C). Thopte was the youngest candidate fielded by the party in the Maharashtra civic polls. 

Sai Thopte is currently a final-year BBA student at the renowned Symbiosis College in Pune. Her candidature was announced by the BJP while she was still attending college classes. Contesting an election while being a student and securing a decisive victory marks a major milestone in her life and political journey. 

Thopte has been actively associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), through which she participated in various issues, programs and movements in Pune. Even during her college years, she consistently raised her voice on youth-related issues and took firm stands on matters concerning students.

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