The political contest in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad is turning more complex after alliance partners Bharatiya Janata Party and the Nationalist Congress Party decided to go separate ways in the upcoming civic elections. With the two allies choosing a “friendly fight,” the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has begun informal outreach to Ajit Pawar’s NCP, hoping to stitch together a local understanding to challenge the BJP’s dominance.
Leaders across the MVA say they are keeping options open. The message from the top is clear: local units are free to take practical decisions if it helps consolidate votes against the BJP. Senior functionaries indicate that the final shape of any alliance will be decided on the ground rather than dictated solely from Mumbai.
Ajit Pawar remains a central figure in the civic battle, given his organisational strength in both the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, which together control nearly 300 seats. Congress election committee member Manoj Kamble said local leaders have been instructed to align with any force willing to oppose the BJP, adding that Ajit Pawar’s NCP was approached because of its strong presence in the two cities.
Within the MVA, the mood appears flexible rather than rigid. Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders say the alliance is mentally prepared for an arrangement with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP if circumstances demand it. Leaders from the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP in Pimpri-Chinchwad have also said they are not averse to such an understanding, provided senior leaders give their approval.
From Ajit Pawar’s camp, Pimpri-Chinchwad city NCP president Yogesh Behl confirmed that proposals from MVA parties have been received. He said these would be placed before Ajit Pawar for discussion. At the same time, conversations are also underway with the Shiv Sena, and a clearer picture is expected soon.
On the ruling side, seat-sharing talks are progressing cautiously. A recent meeting of district Shiv Sena office-bearers and BJP leaders, chaired by Union minister Murlidhar Mohol, reviewed ground realities in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Leaders indicated that the Shinde-led Shiv Sena may settle for a limited number of seats, as the BJP and Ajit Pawar’s NCP remain the dominant players. With polling scheduled for January 15, 2026, negotiations are still ongoing.
Publicly, the top leadership has drawn firm lines. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stated that he and Ajit Pawar will not contest together in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, an assertion Pawar has echoed. Yet, at the local level, the reality looks far less straightforward. Defections and counter-defections have begun to unsettle the Mahayuti, with both the BJP and the NCP inducting leaders from rival camps and preparing aggressive candidate lists. BJP Pimpri-Chinchwad City President Shatrughna Kate said, “An election is an election. There is no such thing as ‘friendly’ in it. We will contest the election using every possible strategy. We are going into this with full strength. Inductions of aspirants from Ajit Pawar’s NCP and other parties will happen soon.
Pimpri-Chinchwad, once considered Ajit Pawar’s bastion, swung decisively towards the BJP in 2017. After the 2023 political realignment that brought the BJP and NCP together, Pawar had hoped for a joint civic strategy. The BJP’s decision to fight independently has instead set the stage for a direct contest between the two allies.
