Tejas Navale
Pune, May 13, 2025: Ending months of speculation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday appointed senior party leader and three-time corporator Shatrughna Kate as the new city president of the party’s Pimpri-Chinchwad unit. The post had been lying vacant since Shankar Jagtap’s election as MLA from the Chinchwad Assembly constituency.
The announcement was made by Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, signalling a key strategic move ahead of upcoming civic elections. Party insiders suggest the appointment was long overdue and closely linked to political assurances made to Kate during last year’s legislative assembly election.
During the 2024 Assembly polls, Shatrughna Kate had expressed interest in contesting from the Chinchwad seat on a BJP ticket. However, with multiple contenders in the fray and the party’s clear preference for Shankar Jagtap, he was denied the ticket then. Kate, who had significant grassroots backing, had begun rallying support from disgruntled factions within the party—hinting at a possible rebellion.
Amid rising tensions, senior BJP leadership, including then Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and party president Bawankule, intervened. In a political negotiation behind the scenes, Kate was reportedly persuaded to withdraw his nomination in favour of Shankar Jagtap. In return, he was promised the post of city chief. Kate’s decision to stand down and support Jagtap proved critical. Jagtap went on to register a thumping victory, winning by a record margin of 103,865 votes.
With today’s appointment, the BJP seems to have honoured its word, restoring internal harmony and rewarding Kate’s loyalty. Known for his longstanding association with former MLA Laxman Jagtap, Kate has served three terms as a corporator in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and is seen as a key organisational asset for the party. Kate’s elevation comes at a time when the party is aiming to revamp its local machinery and consolidate its urban voter base ahead of local body elections in the state.
