'Parivar' Has Come Together': Ajit Pawar Announces Alliance With Uncle Sharad Pawar's NCP For Pimpri Chinchwad Civic Polls

Mumbai: 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."

He added, "While finalising the list of candidates for the Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal elections, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Nationalist Congress Party Sharadchandra Pawar faction decided to contest the elections together in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Because of this, the family will come together once again," as quoted by ANI.

In addition, he added that questions would remain in people's minds following the alliance announcement, adding that seat-sharing discussions have been held between the two parties and will be announced later.

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.

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, considered as one of the richest after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has been held by Sharad Pawar's undivided NCP since 2017.

Meanwhile, discussions are also ongoing between the two factions for a possible alliance in the Pune Municipal Corporation elections.

Seat-sharing discussions 

NCP (Sharad Pawar) Spokesperson Ankush Kakade confirmed the alliance and shared that seat-sharing discussions are yet to be held with the party.

"Nationalist Congress Party- Sharadchandra Pawar and Nationalist Congress Party- Ajit Pawar have decided to contest the upcoming Pune municipal elections together... We have a meeting with our other partners this afternoon," NCP-SCP spokesperson Ankush Kakade said.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Ameet Satam on Saturday said that the Mahayuti has reached a seat-sharing agreement on 207 seats, with the BJP contesting on 128 seats and Shiv Sena on 79. The decision for the remaining 20 seats will be based on candidates, Satam said.

Pimpri Chinchwad election

The reunion for the Pimpri Chinchwad election comes two days after sources indicated that the talks between the two parties over contesting the Pune civic polls together were failing, with Sharad Pawar going back to Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena and the Congress for seat-sharing discussions. The Pune region has been a traditional stronghold of the Pawars.

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. 

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