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Civic body polls: As NCPs look to form alliance in Pune, Ajit faction says ally’s demand for seats difficult to adjust

BJP to release first list of candidates on Sunday.

3 min readUpdated: Dec 27, 2025 09:50 AM IST

While both sides have agreed to continue dialogue, BJP is set to release its first list of candidates on Sunday, intensifying the poll battle.

Alliance talks between NCP and NCP(SP) in Pimpri-Chinchwad have turned tense, with the Sharad Pawar-led party demanding up to 23 seats in the upcoming PCMC elections. (File Photo)

Even before the alliance between two factions of the NCP could be formed in Pimpri-Chinchwad, doubts have arisen over demands for ”a large number of seats” by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. The NCP said it was keen to ally with NCP (SP) but it would be difficult to meet their seat-sharing demands.

On Thursday night, NCP (SP) leaders MP Amol Kolhe and MLA Rohit Pawar landed in Pimpri-Chinchwad and held discussions with NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad leaders and city president Yogesh Behl. They also met Ajit Pawar at his residence in Bhosalenagar.

Behl said that the meeting held on seat-sharing discussions remained inconclusive.

Behl said that NCP (SP) initially made a demand to contest 27 seats but later brought the number down to 23 seats. ”This is a big number. It will be difficult to share so many seats with them, but we will again hold negotiations and reach a solution,” said Behl.

Behl said they would be discussing the demands made by NCP (SP) with party chief Ajit Pawar. ”I think they already met Ajit Pawar, but he told them that he would discuss the issue with local leadership.”

On the other hand, NCP (SP) MP Kolhe said, ”We have held primary discussions with NCP leaders in Pimpri-Chinchwad. We will inform our party leadership about the discussion that we held. The party leadership will decide whether it is possible to form alliance in Pimpri-Chinchwad like in Pune.”

Kolhe said the party will take into account the view of the majority of party workers and leaders. ”Only after that will we form an alliance,” he said. ”We are at the stage of holding discussions. No one should jump to conclusions. So far, we have not made a decision,” he added.

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Behl said some NCP (SP) leaders have approached him and expressed desire to contest on NCP’s clock symbol. ”The leaders from NCP (SP) approached us. They said let the alliance be formed but they want to contest on our symbol. We are looking into this demand,” he said. To this, Kolhe, however, rebutted, saying that this topic did not come up for discussion during their meeting with NCP leaders.

Behl also said that the Shiv Sena has also approached them for seat-sharing. ”Our talks with Shiv Sena are also under way,” he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP today said their first list of candidates will be declared on Sunday.

”The local unit of BJP in Pimpri-Chinchwad has submitted its final list of candidates to the state leadership. The party leadership has taken stock of the aspirants. And now the first list will be declared on Sunday,” said BJP MLA Shankar Jagtap, who is the party’s chief campaign chief.

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Jagtap said,”A meeting regarding our candidates was held by the party’s core committee. The party’s state leadership and core committee will approve the names sent by the local leadership,” he said.

Jagtap said, ”BJP’s vision is development. No matter what the opposition says, it will have no impact on our party. The victory of our candidates is a certainty.”

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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