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In Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, uncle Pawar, nephew Ajit join hands; BJP their main opponent

Alliance limited only to two civic bodies, clarifies Sharad Pawar's party.

Written by: Ajay Jadhav, Manoj Dattatrye More

6 min readPuneDec 29, 2025 09:20 PM IST

NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar (left) and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. (File Photo)

A day after NCP national president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced an alliance between the two factions of the NCP for the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections, the NCP (S-P) extended the tie-up to the Pune Municipal Corporation polls as well, positioning the BJP as their principal rival in both civic bodies.

After much back and forth, the alliance between both factions of the NCP for the PMC polls was finally formalised on Monday. For the past few days, leaders of both the factions were holding meetings, whose outcome was kept under wraps. The meetings ran into a deadlocks as the NCP was insisting that NCP (S-P) candidates should contest on their ”clock” symbol. Besides, the NCP refused to part with the seats demanded by NCP (S-P). While it was holding dialogue with Ajit Pawar, leaders of NCP (S-P) were also at the same time in talks with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

”The NCP(SP) has forged alliance with NCP for the PMC and PCMC elections. This alliance is limited to only two civic bodies and it is as per the wish of the local party workers and leaders,” NCP (S-P) MLA Rohit Pawar told reporters in Pune on Monday.

Making it clear that NCP (S-P) will contest the election with its own symbol, the MLA said, ”Both the NCPs have formed an alliance to take on the powerful BJP. We both will contest with our respective party symbols.”

On the possible merger of the parties after the alliance, Rohit Pawar ruled out the possibility and said the alliance is only for the two civic bodies.

The local leaders of both NCP and NCP (S-P) held meetings late Sunday night with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. “The pre-poll alliance between the two was finalised… While Ajit Pawar’s NCP will contest in 125 seats, Sharad Pawar led-NCP (SP) will contest 40 seats,” said party sources.

While Rohit Pawar announced the alliance for the PMC polls on Monday, Ajit Pawar himself declared the pre-poll alliance for Pimpri-Chinchwad on Sunday. Going a step further, Ajit Pawar exhorted party workers and leaders to go-all out to win the PCMC elections. He also alleged that there was corruption during BJP rule in PCMC, thereby hinting that a bitter poll campaign was on the cards. In fact, BJP MLA Maheshdada Landge has already declared that PCMC elections will be a fight between ”Pimpri-Chinchwad Dada versus Baramati dada.”

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NCP leaders said the party had ruled Pimpri-Chinchwad for two decades and the defeat in 2017 had hurt Ajit Pawar badly. At party events and public functions, Ajit Pawar has repeatedly lamented that despite ensuring development of Pimpri-Chinchwad, his party was ousted from power. ”Our party chief is very keen on returning to power in Pimpri-Chinchwad. He is leading from the front. He started reaching out to people much before the campaign actually started,” said Yogesh Behl, president of Pimpri-Chinchwad NCP.

Though things look set for a fiery poll campaign after the re-unification of the two NCP factions for the civic polls, BJP’s Pune spokesperson Sandeep Khardekar said, “I don’t think the coming together of two NCPs will pose a challenge to BJP. After all, Ajit Pawar is part of our government. When the local body elections are underway, each one has his to play their role. NCP wants to expand its base, we also want to increase our strength.”

Khardekar said, ”Both NCP and BJP will campaign hard but we will not make any allegations against each other. It will be a friendly fight, not a vitriolic battle. If things go wrong at some places, we will resolve the issues.” Asked about the possibility of two parties coming together after elections, Khardekar said the decision will be taken by the state leadership.

Similarly, in Pimpri-Chinchwad, the BJP dismissed the idea that the two NCPs will prove a hurdle for them to return to power. ”Their unity will make no difference to us. We will come home with ease,” said BJP leader Raju Durge.

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NCP’s Maharashtra president Sunil Tatkare said, ”We have not come together to defeat BJP. In the local body polls, the BJP had taken a stand that if we fight unitedly, then the opposition will gain. Therefore, we decided to fight separately.”

How it started

It was NCP chief Ajit Pawar who had apparently first reached out to NCP (SP) for a pre-poll alliance after BJP declared that it will contest only in alliance with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena while keeping Mahayuti alliance partner Ajit Pawar-led NCP out of it. Pawar had also reached out to the Congress for a pre-poll alliance. Similarly, from NCP (S-P), the party’s working president Supriya Sule had been touch with local NCP leaders, especially in Pimpri-Chinchwad and had expressed desire to team up with their party.

However, the Congress decided to not to join hands with Ajit Pawar-led NCP but the NCP (SP) still pursued the prospect of an alliance with the NCP as most of the local leaders were in favour of it. Prashant Jagtap, who was Pune NCP (SP) chief, resigned from the post as well as the party after opposing an alliance with Ajit Pawar-led NCP. He later joined the Congress.

Elections to the municipal corporations will be held on January 15 and the counting of votes will be done the next day. The united NCP was in power in PMC from 2007 from 2017 but lost power to BJP in 2017 and was the main opposition party in the civic body. The BJP had won nearly 100 wards while the undivided NCP had 44 corporators in the PMC. When the NCP split, of the 44 corporators, 30 joined the NCP led by Ajit Pawar and the remaining joined Sharad Pawar’s faction. Similarly, in PCMC, NCP had 36 corporators. Of them, only two joined NCP (S-P).

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

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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