Pune: Two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and former Union Minister Sharad Pawar are in turmoil as the upcoming Maharashtra Local Body Elections approach. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) were bastions of the party, but in 2017, they lost both. With both factions eyeing a comeback in both civic bodies, the political scenarios of both cities are quite different.
Ajit Pawar-led NCP in Pimpri-Chinchwad, has hinted at a potential reunion, as their fight will make the opposition stronger. Meanwhile, NCP-SP in Pune has denied even the possibility of the reunion, saying they will contest as Mahavikas Aghadi.
NCP’s Split in 2023
NCP was founded in 1999 by Sharad Pawar, the uncle of Ajit Pawar. The party ruled both civic bodies of PMC and PCMC from their formation. In PCMC, it was a solo run under the leadership of Ajit Pawar, where they were in power from 2002 to 2017. While in Pune, they had to rely on alliances, but still they were in rule until 2017. BJP, however, conquered both NCP’s forts in 2017, where they secured a comfortable majority in both civic bodies.
Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle Sharad Pawar in July 2023 to join the BJP, and Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena’s Mahayuti Government as its Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister. After that, two elections were contested, but both parties went head-to-head, and no potential reunion was discussed. In the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, NCP-SP dominated, while in the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, Ajit Pawar-led NCP dominated.
BJP has announced in Pune about its intentions to run solo. Though the high command stresses they will contest elections as Mahayuti, local leaders are eyeing a solo run. A hybrid alliance is sought by the BJP, indicating that where there is an agreement, they will contest together, and where there is no agreement, there will be ‘friendly contests’.
NCP-SP’s Prashant Jagtap Says No Reunion In Pune
With both factions of NCP wanting to get back their lost forts, speculations are fresh about an uncle-nephew reunion in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. However, NCP-SP Pune City President Prashant Jagtap has made the matter clear, saying no alliance with any Mahayuti party for the upcoming PMC elections.
Prashant Jagtap said, “Pune is facing various civic issues due to the Mahayuti’s neglect towards the city, and therefore, we have taken a decision not to have an alliance with any Mahayuti partner (Ajit Pawar-led NCP). We will hold discussions with our Mahavikas Aghadi partners (including Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress) for the alliance in PMC.”
Talks Ongoing in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Says NCP’s Yogesh Behl
While announcing the working committee for the upcoming PCMC elections, Ajit Pawar, the leader of the NCP’s Pimpri-Chinchwad city president, Yogesh Behl, said, “BJP has made it clear they want to go solo. Even we have recommended to our party’s high command that we want to go solo.”
When asked about a possible NCP reunion, surprisingly, Behl didn’t deny it but said it’s possible. “We welcome this move. The division of votes between the two NCPs will only benefit the opposition. A final decision of the alliance will be taken by the parties’ seniors. Talks regarding this are ongoing,” said Yogesh Behl.
