Nagpur: The 2026 Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections rewrote many political scripts, springing surprises that few had anticipated. While the results heralded the rise of several new faces such as Shivani Dani, Yogesh Pachpore, Amol Shamkule and Nidhi Telgote, they also brought an abrupt halt to the civic journeys of several established and influential names long associated with Nagpur’s municipal politics.
One of the early shocks came with the defeat of Duneshwar Pethe, sitting corporator and city president of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), who was unseated by BJP’s Balya Borkar. Equally unexpected was the loss of Pragati Patil (BJP) from Prabhag 14, a seat widely believed to be secure for her. Her defeat came at the hands of Sunil Agrawal, a senior BJP leader who entered the fray as an Independent, turning the contest into a classic case of internal rebellion altering electoral arithmetic.
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17 Jan 2026
In Prabhag 26, Advocate Dharmpal Meshram, sitting corporator and BJP vice-president, faced defeat at the hands of Congress’s Shubham Motghare, a relatively new entrant. Another notable upset was seen in Prabhag 17, where Yogesh alias Guddu Tiwari lost to Manoj Sable, who had joined the BJP just before the elections. The constituency, new for Tiwari, proved decisive in shaping the outcome.
The Congress, too, saw mixed fortunes. Sandesh Singalkar, the party’s general secretary, was defeated by sitting corporator Sunil Hiranwar, while Sarita Mane, wife of Dr Milind Mane and a prominent contender, lost to a Congress candidate in Prabhag 2. Meanwhile, the much-discussed contest between Suresh Jagyasi and sitting corporator Vicky Kukreja ended without drama, as Kukreja retained his seat comfortably, defying speculation of a surprise comeback.
Prabhag 1 witnessed the defeat of Rajratan Bansod, a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police. The loss of Bhushan Shingne, a senior leader who reportedly sensed trouble early on polling day, was not entirely unexpected among insiders but came as a significant setback for the BJP. Adding to the party’s woes was the defeat of Neha Nikose, who had switched from Congress to BJP after winning in 2017, only to lose from Prabhag 2.
One of the biggest shocks of the election was the defeat of Sandip Jadhav from Prabhag 11. A contender for the North Nagpur Assembly seat in 2024 and later elevated as Ruling Party Leader and Deputy Mayor, Jadhav’s loss stunned political observers.
Perhaps the most unexpected result came from Prabhag 13, where Prakash Gajbhiye, former MLC and a stalwart of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), suffered defeat at the hands of BJP’s Yogesh Pachpore, who registered a comfortable victory. Gajbhiye had initially been expected to field his son Prajasattak, but chose to contest himself as an Independent at the eleventh hour, a decision that ultimately proved costly.
Former Congress winner Kamlesh Chaudhari, who was expelled from the party for anti-party activities and contested as an Independent, failed to repeat his 2017 success. Among other prominent sitting corporators who were shown the door by voters were Pramod Chikhale (BJP) from Prabhag 17, Shraddha Chutele, Manoj Sangole (NCP Ajit Pawar faction), Savita Dharmare (BJP) from Prabhag 17, and Vishakha Bante from Prabhag 33.
Overall, the 2026 civic polls underscored a clear message from the electorate — familiar names and past influence offered no guarantee, as voters appeared eager to disrupt entrenched equations and usher in a new political order at the grassroots level.
