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PMC polls: Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS come together for civic body elections in Pune

The Congress said the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP)'s indecision before finally joining hands with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP delayed the announcement of the alliance for the PMC polls.

4 min readPuneUpdated: Dec 29, 2025 03:35 PM IST

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) of Raj Thackeray also joined hands with the Congress and the Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray for the January 15 polls. (File photos)

In response to their Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Nationalist Congress Party (SP) deciding to contest the Pune Municipal Corporation polls along with the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) Monday declared their alliance. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) of Raj Thackeray also joined hands with the Congress and the Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray for the January 15 polls.

“The alliance of the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) has been done. The Congress has been given 60 seats and Shiv Sena (UBT) has been given 45 seats as of now. The discussion on the remaining 60 seats is going on in which other alliance partners will also be accommodated,” said Congress leader Satej Patil.

He said the alliance announcement was delayed due to the NCP (SP)’s frequent changes in stance. “The NCP (SP) has finally joined hands with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, so things have become clear for us,” said Patil. Both the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) opposed the NCP (SP) decision of joining hands with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, due to its coalition with the rival BJP, both at the state and the Centre.

The PMC polls are scheduled for January 15, with counting on January 16. Besides Pune, 28 other municipal corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in Maharashtra will go to polls on January 15.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir said his party has secured 40 seats in the seat-sharing arrangement so far, and the official letters will be issued to candidates for filing their nominations.

“It has been decided that the Congress will talk to its other alliance partners like Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and other parties, while the Shiv Sena(UBT) will hold discussions with the MNS and other parties for the sharing of remaining seats,” he said.

The MNS had sought 32 seats in the Pune civic body. Ahir said that the discussion on seat sharing with the MNS is ongoing and will be finalised soon.

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“Also, there are many from the BJP and its allies, as well as NCP and NCP (SP) allies, that are reaching out to us for candidature, considering they are not going to get a ticket from their respective party. We will wait for all those who reach out to us and give candidature to them based on their ability to win,” he said.

BJP’s strategy is to eliminate Opposition, says Sachin Ahir

Ahir said it has been the BJP’s strategy to ensure there is no Opposition left in the civic body, asking its ally, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, to contest independently so that the BJP and the NCP occupy both the ruling and Opposition seats.

“The Ajit Pawar-led NCP will be the ruling party after the civic polls. If they are serious, then Ajit Pawar should declare in public that his party would not join hands with the BJP after the elections,” he added.

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On the MNS becoming part of MVA, Patil said that if the partners of the ruling Mahayuti are forging alliances as per their convenience with political parties outside their alliance, then why the Opposition MVA should not think of new alliance partners.

“These elections are to resolve the civic issues of Pune. The BJP and its alliance partner have failed to resolve the issues in their rule, so we have come together to handle the problems of citizens,” he said.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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