Pune, 21st August 2026: The political conflict between the BJP and NCP has intensified sharply after the Pune Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee approved the transfer of ₹12 crore that was originally earmarked for development works in NCP corporator Suhas Tingre’s ward.
The decision has triggered fresh tensions within the civic body, with opposition members alleging political targeting, while the ruling side defended the administrative move.
The funds in question had been allocated for nearly 80 development works planned under Ward No. 2-D, which falls under Tingre’s jurisdiction. However, in a controversial decision taken during the Standing Committee meeting, the entire amount was shifted to Ward No. 3 instead.
The proposal was passed by an 11-3 majority vote, despite strong objections raised by NCP representatives who argued that the diversion would directly impact ongoing and planned civic infrastructure work in Tingre’s area.
The controversy is being seen in the backdrop of an earlier political flashpoint involving NCP corporator Amol Balwadkar, who had submitted a letter demanding an inquiry into development works carried out using funds linked to Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil. Suhas Tingre’s decision to sign this letter appears to have further escalated tensions between him and the BJP leadership in the civic body.
Earlier, the BJP had already rejected Balwadkar’s proposal and removed ₹12 crore allocated to him under the municipal budget’s ‘C’ list, a move that had already sparked heated exchanges in the corporation. With Tingre also extending support to Balwadkar’s demand for an inquiry, the BJP is now being accused by opposition members of retaliatory action through the diversion of funds from Tingre’s ward.
Reacting strongly to the decision, Suhas Tingre said that the move unfairly punishes citizens of his ward and not just him as a corporator. He argued that development funds should not be used as a tool for political retaliation, especially when public welfare projects are at stake.
“Just because I signed the letter concerning Chandrakant Patil, withdrawing my development funds and putting citizens in difficulty is not right,” Tingre said, stressing that the decision would directly affect nearly 80 planned works in his constituency. He further added that in a democratic system, ruling and opposition parties are meant to function as checks and balances rather than adversaries engaged in punitive politics.
Tingre also made it clear that he would not remain silent on the issue and would challenge the decision through appropriate channels. However, he firmly stated that he would not seek or request funds from the BJP despite the setback. “I will fight against this decision, but I will not go to the BJP and beg for funds,” he said, underlining his stance on maintaining political dignity while opposing the move.
Standing Committee chairman Shrinath Bhimale initially distanced himself from the controversy when approached by journalists, stating that he was not aware of any specific issue related to the fund diversion. He maintained that multiple matters were discussed during the meeting and suggested that he could not immediately comment on individual decisions.
“I do not have information about any such matter. There were many issues discussed today,” Bhimale said at first. However, after repeated questioning from reporters, he later confirmed that the funds originally allocated to Ward No. 2-D had indeed been transferred to Ward No. 3, though he refrained from explaining the rationale behind the decision.
The development is expected to further intensify the already strained political relations between the BJP and NCP within the Pune Municipal Corporation, with both sides likely to escalate the issue in the coming days.