NCP Reunion On The Cards: Joint Manifesto Released; Ajit Pawar-Sharad Pawar Camps Hint At Merger Ahead of Maharashtra Civic Polls

New Delhi: In a rare show of unity, Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) on Saturday released joint combined manifesto for Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections.

The joint announcement comes ahead of the January 15 civic polls to the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations, part of elections being held across 29 local bodies in Maharashtra.

Marking a notable moment in the poll season, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and his cousin Supriya Sule shared a stage for the manifesto's release, nearly two years after the NCP split in 2023, thereby underlining renewed coordination between the two camps.

Earlier, Ajit Pawar had reportedly stated party workers from both sides were in favour of the union and the friction in the Pawar family has been resolved.

Presently, the two NCP groups, one led by Ajit and the other by his uncle Sharad, are in the opposite camps in the Centre and at the state, but had formed an alliance to contest civic polls in Pimpri and Pimpri Chinchwad.

What joint manifesto beholds?

Promising a major push for traffic relief, healthcare, water supply, and affordable public transport, the joint manifesto promises to fix 33 missing road links across the city to reduce congestion, widen key roads and improve overall traffic flow. Inspired by European cities, the parties said strengthening public transport would be a priority, including a proposal for free travel on buses and the metro.

The alliance promised to build hospitals within a two-kilometre radius so that basic medical care is easily accessible. A dedicated cancer hospital and a burns ward are also part of the plan.

Housing societies that adopt eco-friendly practices will be rewarded with a 20 per cent property tax rebate and a 'Green Society' certification. The manifesto also focuses on solar power for societies to reduce electricity costs and promote clean energy.

Acknowledging Pune's water crisis, leaders said even central areas depend on tanker water, underlining the seriousness of the problem. The manifesto commits to improving water supply, sewage treatment and last-mile connectivity to the metro.

The parties also promised to make the Gunthewari regularisation process online and simplify municipal approvals to reduce corruption and delays. The civic body will provide interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh to skill-trained women, aiming to boost entrepreneurship and self-employment.

Arnab Goswami Reacts 

Reacting to the massive political development, Republic Media Network Editor-In-Chief Arnab Goswami said, "Yes, I was, I think as you said, this event is very important. It was not necessary and it is not necessary for Supriya Surya and Ajit Pawar to share the stage for a Civic poll event, neither is it necessary to make a big song and dance about it by releasing a manifesto appearing on stage. So the way I look at it is this is only an excuse to show unity at the highest level. It is a coming together of the Sharad Pawar group and the Ajit Pawar group."

Highlighting on the merger, Goswami said, "My information is that the merger process is almost complete."

Stressing further, Goswami stated, "Once BMC elections are over, sooner than later they will announce a merger and Sharad Pawar wants two ministries in the central level and he would obviously want a portfolio for Supriya Sule."

“As far as timing is concerned, my guess is anywhere under three months is when this announcement will happen”, he said.  

Ajit Pawar Announces Alliance With Uncle for PMC polls

Earlier, marking a significant reunion within the Pawar family, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced that his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will form an alliance with the faction led by his uncle, Sharad Pawar, for the upcoming Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections.

Ajit Pawar, while addressing an election campaign rally in Pimpri-Chinchwad, announced the development over two years after the split and said that the "parivar (family) has come together."

Uncle-Nephew Split

The uncle and nephew- Sharad and Ajit- who had previously worked together as part of the NCP, split in 2023 when Ajit Pawar allied with the BJP in Maharashtra. Sharad Pawar's NCP faction has been a part of the Opposition alliance both in the state and at the Centre.

Pimpri Chinchwad election

The State Election Commission in Maharashtra has announced elections to 29 municipal corporations across the state, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Polling will be held on January 15, with counting scheduled for January 16.

Fadnavis on the Pawars Switching Sides

In an exclusive interview with Republic Media Network's Editor-In-Chief Arnab Goswami on Wednesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dropped a bombshell on the rare 2019 alliance between BJP and Congress in Maharashtra after the recent local body elections.

Arnab Goswami pressed the chief minister in the interview on whether Ajit Pawar was acting on behalf of Sharad Pawar, suggesting that Sharad Pawar wanted to keep channels open with the BJP and NDA but had not been able to bring Supriya Sule on board.

Answering the question, Fadnavis stressed that Sharad Pawar alone decided to switch sides and align with the BJP. He added that it was Sharad Pawar’s choice to join hands with Uddhav Thackeray “to have a better hold on power”, and that only the senior Pawar was privy to his own reasons for the planning and strategy behind the move.

On Sharad Pawar switching sides, Fadnavis said, “But my belief is that as soon as Sonia ji told him that they were ready to go with Uddhav, he felt that a second option had opened.”

“If he went with BJP, then Devendra Fadnavis is a leader here, above him sits Amit Shah, above him sits Modi ji," Fadnavis added.

He also  took a dig at his Deputy and Mahayuti partner Ajit Pawar, saying that the latter's influence in Mumbai is limited.

Ajit Pawar BJP dig

Deputy Chief Ajit Pawar, in a veiled attack at the BJP in Maharashtra, over  Rs 70,000 crore irrigation ‘scam’ said, “You all know that I was accused of a Rs 70,000 crore scam, but all the people who made those accusations are now sitting in the government with me.”

The decades-old Maharashtra Irrigation Scam came to limelight when corruption allegations were levelled against the then state government after a 2012 Economic Survey highlighted that the state's irrigation potential had increased minimally, even after Rs 70,000 crore had been spent on various projects related to it.

A circular was issued which complained that instead of following the scheduled rates fixed by the Irrigation Department, it was making exorbitant payments for raw materials and components. The undivided NCP's Ajit Pawar, was the irrigation minister of Maharashtra during 1999–2009, when the allegations surfaced.

Fadnavis Rejects ‘Cold War’ Buzz With Shinde

Fadnavis, in an exclusive interview to Republic, firmly rejected speculation of a “cold war” with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, asserting that the alliance remains intact despite inevitable local-level pressures.

Putting to rest rumours of friction within the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) alliance, Fadnavis said there was “neither a cold war nor a hot war” between the two leaders. “We have been working together for the past 10-11 years. Even when he was not associated with the BJP, our relations were never sour. Even today, we enjoy a comfortable relationship,” he said.

However, Fadnavis candidly acknowledged that alliance politics becomes complex on the ground, especially ahead of the civic elections. “At the end of the day, both of us have to run our individual parties. If we want to keep our party alive, we have to keep our cadre alive,” he told Arnab.

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