Maharashtra Politics: Deputy CM Ajit Pawar-led NCP & NCP (SP) Join Forces For Pune Zilla Parishad Elections 2026

Pune: After forming an alliance for the recently concluded municipal polls in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and its rival NCP (SP) have decided to contest the February 5 Pune Zilla Parishad elections together.

The development comes amid speculation that the two factions, led by Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and his uncle Sharad Pawar, may merge in the near future.

The two parties will contest all 24 seats of the Pune ZP together, said Maharashtra minister Dattatray Bharne who belongs to Ajit Pawar's party.

The alliance will see Harshvardhan Patil, who is with the NCP (SP), and Bharne, his arch-rival in Indapur, working together.

Patil's daughter Ankita Patil will be contesting with the NCP's symbol of clock, and filed her nomination form on Wednesday, the last day of submission.

Shriraj Bharne, minister Bharne's son, also filed his nomination form.

Dattatray Bharne said the senior leadership of both the NCPs took a unanimous decision to contest the polls together.

"We are sure that we will retain power in the Pune Zilla Parishad," he said.

As to burying his feud with Harshvardhan Patil, Bharne said the decision was taken at the senior level. "We both have decided to accept the decision. We will fight all 24 seats together," he said.

Harshvardhan Patil said the decision was taken after a meeting between Ajit Pawar and his cousin, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule.

Even though Ajit Pawar is part of the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition, his party contested the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections against the BJP and in alliance with the NCP (SP). The BJP trounced the two NCPs in both the cities.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)