In a significant political development ahead of Maharashtra’s civic elections, rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar have reunited for the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation polls. The announcement was made by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar during an election rally, marking a rare family and political reconciliation nearly two years after their split.
Ajit Pawar said the alliance was formed “for the sake of Pimpri-Chinchwad,” adding that the party’s traditional clock symbol and the Sharad Pawar faction’s tutari (trumpet) symbol had come together. “The family has reunited,” he declared, urging party workers to focus on development and avoid controversial remarks during the campaign.
The Pawars parted ways in 2023 when Ajit Pawar broke ranks and joined the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, while Sharad Pawar’s faction aligned with the opposition bloc. The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, one of the wealthiest civic bodies in the country after Mumbai, has been under the control of the undivided NCP since 2017, making the election politically crucial.
The reunion comes against the backdrop of the BJP-led alliance’s landslide victory in last year’s Maharashtra Assembly elections, after which talks of reconciliation had resurfaced. However, the alliance appears limited to Pimpri-Chinchwad, as negotiations for a similar understanding in Pune reportedly failed, with Sharad Pawar’s faction reopening talks with the Congress and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena.
Political reactions were mixed. Some BJP leaders welcomed the move, claiming it validated their belief that Ajit Pawar acted with Sharad Pawar’s consent. Others, including leaders from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, dismissed the reunion as “surname politics,” arguing voters would judge parties by performance, not family ties.
Elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune, will be held on January 15, with counting on January 16.
