Pune: After several days of secret meetings and discussions, both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have decided to contest the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections together on Monday. This decision follows their similar decision for Pimpri-Chinchwad, which was announced by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday evening.
While former NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) Ex-Pune City President Prashant Jagtap had previously raised ideological concerns, which had sparked a debate over the morality of bringing the two factions together and suggesting the attempt had failed, both the factions and the Pawar family have reunited in Pune. The Pawar family was even seen together again on Sunday during an event in Baramati attended by Gautam Adani.
Now, both NCP factions will contest the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal elections as an alliance. A different kind of “understanding” is also reportedly being observed between the two in Mumbai. Party officials have claimed that NCP-SP supremo Sharad Pawar has reportedly given his approval to his workers in Mumbai, saying that whoever wants to contest can contact Ajit Pawar’s faction for candidacy.
A press conference is scheduled for Monday afternoon in Pune, where the alliance is expected to be formally announced. It is reported that Ajit Pawar’s faction will contest 125 seats, while the Sharad Pawar faction will contest the remaining 40 seats in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Speaking about the issue in Pimpri-Chinchwad, NCP City President Yogesh Behl said that out of 128 total seats, over 100 will be contested by the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
‘We Will Fight on the Clock and Trumpeter Symbols’ – Rohit Pawar
While speaking to reporters in Pune on Monday, NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar said, “In Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, both NCPs will fight together. While discussing this, it was necessary to get updates from the ground-level workers. After discussions with MVA leaders, key office-bearers spoke with the workers. We will not contest solely on the clock symbol everywhere. We will come together and contest on both symbols of the Clock and the Trumpeter (Tutari).”
He further added, “In our discussions, the workers expressed that we need to go with the clock. This is a battle for the workers; it is their election. Therefore, in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the NCP-SP will listen to the workers and fight together for them. No ‘big’ leaders are involved in this decision.”
Pawar’s statements clarified that the reported misunderstanding from Saturday, which suggested that alliance talks had collapsed due to disagreements over seat sharing and the Ajit Pawar-led faction’s insistence on both groups contesting under the Clock symbol, has now been resolved.
Rohit Pawar’s Reason Behind Prashant Jagtap’s Move
Regarding Prashant Jagtap joining the Indian National Congress, MLA Rohit Pawar said, “Prashant Jagtap was a good office-bearer. Why he took that decision, I won’t say here. There are different, significant reasons behind it. Even the workers he mentioned after joining Congress, who said they don't want an alliance, have met MP Supriya Sule and said we must go with the ‘Clock’. The workers who were with him are the ones saying we should align with the Clock.”
He concluded by clarifying, “Even if TV channels show the ‘two NCPs’ have come together, the reality is that the workers of both groups have united. This decision was made to ensure the election is fought effectively and to make it easier to fight against powerful forces. This is a municipal election, not a merger. Big leaders are not involved in municipal corporations; Pawar Saheb told us to take the workers into confidence and decide. The seat-sharing picture will be clear by Tuesday afternoon.”
