Pune: Anand Alkunde, a leader from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has announced that he will run as an independent candidate for the Hadapsar assembly seat.

This announcement comes even before the official declaration of candidates by the party. Alkunde, who is a former corporator and known as a loyal supporter of Ajit Pawar, is expected to disrupt the Mahayuti’s plans in Hadapsar.

Reports suggest that Alkunde is not alone in his decision; four other former corporators, including Prashant Mhaske and Shamshuddin Inamdar (husband of former corporator Ruksana Inamdar), are also likely to exit the party. On Tuesday (October 22), Alkunde will file his independent nomination in a show of strength.

Alkunde has a strong record in local politics, having been elected three times as a corporator with significant support in the Pune Municipal Corporation.

He has also served as a director for PMPML, the city’s public transport body, and enjoys considerable local influence. This move could prove problematic for the Mahayuti, as Alkunde’s candidacy may split the vote in the upcoming election.

It is widely expected that the Hadapsar seat will be allotted to Ajit Pawar-led NCP, with sitting MLA Chetan Tupe possibly getting another chance to contest.

However, Tupe’s shifting allegiances between the Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar factions raise questions. During the Lok Sabha elections, he stood with Ajit Pawar, but reports later indicated that he reconnected with Sharad Pawar’s faction.

The upcoming decision by Ajit Pawar on whether to nominate Tupe again will be closely watched. The emergence of an independent candidate like Alkunde now poses a fresh challenge for the Mahayuti, potentially complicating their prospects in the Hadapsar constituency.