The stage is set for a high-stakes political showdown in Maharashtra's key urban centres. In January 2026, the cities of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad will finally go to the polls to elect their civic bodies after a delay of nearly nine years. While the contest is primarily between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), what was initially described as a "friendly fight" is now showing clear signs of turning into a bitter and intense battle for supremacy.
The Long-Awaited Civic Polls: Dates and Context
The elections for both the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) are scheduled for January 15, 2026, with the vote counting to take place on January 16. This comes after an unusually long gap; the last elections were held in 2017 for a term that expired in 2022. The delay was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and a legal challenge in the Supreme Court regarding seat reservations.
Both civic bodies have been under state-appointed administrators since 2022, following the end of the elected bodies' terms. The BJP had been ruling both corporations before the administration took over. The upcoming polls are crucial as they will determine control over the civic infrastructure and development agenda of two of Maharashtra's most significant urban conglomerates.
Political Landscape: A Clash of Titans
The political dynamics in Pune have shifted significantly over the past decade. The BJP took firm control of the city's political reins from 2014, capturing the Pune Lok Sabha seat from the Congress and later winning all eight Assembly seats in the city. Its momentum continued in the 2017 civic polls, where it secured 97 out of 162 seats in the PMC.
However, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has emerged as the principal challenger, having previously ended the Congress's long supremacy in the PMC in 2007. Political analysts predict that the 2023 split in the NCP will significantly impact the 2026 elections. The rivalry between the Ajit Pawar faction and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) adds another layer of complexity, though leaders from both splinter groups have advocated for a pre-poll alliance to consolidate anti-BJP votes.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad, the NCP enjoyed a twenty-year rule until it was ousted by the BJP in 2017. The BJP's tenure from 2017 to 2022 was largely defined by the challenges of the Covid pandemic.
Strategy of Poaching and Counter-Poaching
As the election temperature rises in the December cold, both parties are employing aggressive strategies reminiscent of state and national polls. A key tactic has been the induction of strong contenders from rival camps to weaken the opposition and bolster their own chances.
The BJP, aiming to re-establish its dominance, has welcomed several former heavyweight corporators, primarily from the NCP, into its fold. In Pune city, these inductees include the son of a sitting NCP(SP) legislator, the son of a former NCP MP, and the daughter of a former Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) legislator, among others. Union Minister and former Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol stated that the party is selectively inducting only those leaders who are popular and have a clean public image.
Pimpri-Chinchwad has witnessed a rapid game of political one-upmanship. The NCP first roped in three sitting BJP corporators. The BJP responded forcefully by welcoming 13 former NCP corporators, including a former mayor and standing committee chiefs. BJP MLA Mahesh Landge claimed his party has given a "befitting reply" to the NCP, which has, in turn, warned of retaliation, highlighting the escalating duel.
Electoral Arithmetic and Voter Rolls
The scale of these elections is substantial. In the PMC, a 165-member body will be elected from 41 wards. As per state rules, 83 seats are reserved for women, and 82 are for the general category. A total of 35,51,469 voters were registered as of July 1, though the PMC administration has identified nearly three lakh cases of double entries in the electoral roll. This issue has become controversial, with political parties demanding corrections to ensure a fair election.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad, the structure comprises 32 panels electing 128 corporators, with 64 seats reserved for women. The reservation also includes 10 seats for Scheduled Caste candidates, two for Scheduled Tribe candidates, and 17 for Other Backward Classes. The total voter count here is approximately 17.30 lakh.
As the campaigning phase intensifies, the so-called "friendly fight" between the BJP and NCP is shedding all pretence of cordiality. With both parties aggressively poaching leaders, a history of delayed polls, and high stakes for urban governance control, the battle for Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad is poised to be one of the most keenly watched political contests in Maharashtra as 2026 begins.
