Pune, Jan 12 Amid the heated campaigning for the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, on Monday, has cleared the air regarding the unexpected alliance between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in his interview to a regional TV channel explained the tactical reasoning behind joining forces with the Sharad Pawar-led faction in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, citing the primary goal of preventing a split in the vote bank of two NCP factions.
He said that he initially approached the Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to discuss a potential alliance between their respective Shiv Sena and NCP factions, given that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had decided to contest the Pune polls independently.
"I asked Eknath Shinde if we should contest together since the BJP was going solo. At that time, he (Eknath Shinde) declined, saying his discussions with the BJP were still ongoing," Deputy CM Pawar added.
According to Deputy CM Pawar, Shiv Sena chief leader Shinde reached out a day before the 'AB' form (candidate nomination) deadline, suggesting an alliance after talks with the BJP failed.
However, Deputy CM Pawar declined at that stage, noting that he had already announced his candidates and a last-minute change would lead to internal rebellion.
Following the failed coordination with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Pune, the two NCP factions -- led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar -- initiated talks.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawar emphasised that "arithmetic" was the driving force behind the reconciliation for this local body election.
He noted that if the two factions fought separately, the division of loyal NCP voters would benefit the BJP.
"Ultimately, the number of seats won is what matters. If these votes come together, our strength increases," he added.
Despite rumours that Deputy CM Ajit Pawar demanded all candidates contest under his 'Clock' symbol, he clarified that he took a flexible approach.
In areas where the Sharad Pawar faction was stronger, Ajit Pawar agreed to let the candidates lead.
He confirmed that high-level discussions took place between himself, NCP-SP MP Amol Kolhe, and NCP MLA Rohit Pawar to finalise the seat-sharing formula.
The political climate in Maharashtra has been volatile since the 2023 split within the NCP, which saw Ajit Pawar join the Mahayuti government alongside the BJP and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena.
Ajit Pawar's faction is aligned with the BJP at the state level. However, local body elections often see unique "local adjustments".
In this instance, the BJP's decision to contest the Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections on its own strength forced the other political players to rethink their strategies.
The political observers suggest that the reunification of the "Two NCPs" for the Pune local polls marks a significant tactical shift, suggesting that regional dominance remains a priority for both factions over state-level alliances.
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