Pune: The drama of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections has reached a fever pitch — but it’s pure confusion for voters. Even on Monday night, a day before the nomination deadline, former corporators and aspirants were hopping parties — leaving citizens unsure about who actually represented them.Amid potholes, water cuts and traffic snarls, political musical chairs has deepened cynicism. “Our vote is being taken for granted,” said residents from across the city. People said they no longer recognised the political landscape of their own wards and added that the suspense over candidates may excite political workers but had left citizens alienated.“We were told for five years that this corporator stood for a particular ideology. Suddenly, he is in another party — smiling under a new symbol. If principles can change overnight, what are we expected to believe?” said shopkeeper Rajesh Kulkarni (52) of Karvenagar.The confusion isn’t limited to Karvenagar. In Wagholi and Kharadi, where civic issues dominate daily life, voters are losing patience. “We don’t care which party you belong to if roads and water problems are solved. However, it feels like voters don’t matter at all when politicians jump parties without explanation,” said software professional Sneha Patil of Kharadi.Long-time residents in Pune’s old city are equally disillusioned. They spoke of disappointment rather than anger. “Earlier, at least we knew who represented which ideology. Now everything looks opportunistic. It is difficult to explain this to youngsters voting for the first time,” said retired teacher Shantaram Joshi of Sadashiv Peth.First-time voters are struggling to keep track. College student Ayesha Shaikh of Kondhwa said, “Social media is full of posters, but party names and symbols keep changing. It makes politics look unreliable.”Women voters expressed a sense of betrayal. “We supported leaders believing they would stand by certain values. When they move to parties they once criticised, it feels like our trust has been misused,” said homemaker Sunita Deshmukh of Hadapsar.In Yerawada, auto driver Mahesh Jadhav summed it up bluntly: “In the end, they will ask for our vote, but no one has explained why they changed sides. This election feels less about the city and more about survival.”As campaigning intensifies, Pune’s voters remain a silent audience to the high-voltage political drama — waiting for clarity, accountability and a reason to believe their vote truly counts.
