Pune, Correspondent
In a significant political development for Pune district, former Purandar MLA and long-serving Pune District Congress President Sanjay Jagtap has officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Senior Congress leader and spokesperson Anant Gadgil expressed concern over this move, stating that the growing trend of loyal leaders and workers leaving the party is alarming. He emphasized the need to maintain ideological commitment rather than abandoning values for political survival.
Sanjay Jagtap hails from an influential political family in Purandar and has been a staunch supporter of Congress ideology for years. In 2016, he was appointed as the president of the Pune District Congress Committee. Just two days prior to his BJP entry, Jagtap resigned from both his position and primary membership of the Congress. His departure after nearly nine years as district president is seen as a major blow to the Congress party in the region.
With the exception of a few traditional areas in Pune city, both Pune city and the district have historically supported the Congress. However, the formation of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had gradually shifted the political dynamics in the region. In recent years, the BJP has been actively working to erode the dominance of Congress ideology in the district.
Earlier, BJP had brought in former Indapur MLA Harshavardhan Patil, a longtime Congress leader who later became an independent. However, Patil eventually left the BJP, citing lack of political prospects.
A few months ago, Sangram Thopte—a key political figure from Bhor—also joined the BJP. With leaders from influential families in both Purandar and Bhor talukas now aligning with the BJP, the political landscape of Pune district is poised for a significant transformation.
During the recent Lok Sabha elections, Supriya Sule, Working President of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), had secured a strong lead from both Purandar and Bhor. The BJP now appears to be leveraging the support of the Thopte and Jagtap families to expand its influence in the district.
Despite the Jagtap family's long-standing association with Congress ideology, Sanjay Jagtap stated that changing political circumstances compelled him to join BJP. He said the inclusive development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was the key reason behind his decision to switch parties.
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