Maharashtra: Murlidhar Mohol, BJP Candidate From Pune Constituency (image-facebook/ Murlidhar Mohol)

Former mayor Muralidhar Kisan Mohol is fielded as the BJP candidate from Pune Lok Sabha constituency. Muralidhar’s name was included in the second list of BJP candidate list. Mohol will be contesting the election for the first time from the Pune constituency.

Mohol has earlier served as the Pune Municipal Standing Committee President and Mayor. Though names of Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Nana Kakade, former MLA Jagdish Mulik and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Sunil Deodhar were in discussion, Mohol was chosen to be fielded as the candidate. 

Mohol’s work during the Covid period was commendable and hence has a greater chance to win the elections. Mohol was elected as the Mayor of Pune in 2019 by replacing Mukta Tilak. Mr Mohol is said to have played a key role in state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil””s victory from the Kothrud constituency in the Assembly polls.

Being the mayor, he had gained the confidence of senior party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and managed to bring them to Pune for various functions. Mohol hails from the Kothrud assembly segment. 

Being the mayor of Pune, he was successful in managing to increase his popularity but also made rivals within and outside the party. After being chosen as the candidate, a poster was struck outside the Municipal Cooperation (PMC) main office against Mohol, saying “The party made you chairperson of the standing committee than the mayor, general secretary of state unit and now MP as well? Enough. Will work to defeat you”. 

The BJP had won the Pune seat in the previous two elections with Anil Shirole elected in 2014 and Girish Bapat in 2019.