In a significant political development, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar and his cousin, NCP(Sharadchandra Pawar) working president Supriya Sule, are set to share a political stage for the first time since their party split three years ago. The reunion is scheduled for Saturday to unveil a joint manifesto for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections.
A Strategic Alliance Forged
The decision for a pre-poll alliance between the two NCP factions came after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared it would ally solely with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena for the civic polls. This was despite the three parties being in alliance at the state and national levels. The seat-sharing discussions caused delays, keeping political observers guessing until the final day of withdrawal of nomination forms, when the alliance was formally announced.
Local NCP executive chief Pradeep Deshmukh confirmed the historic joint appearance. He stated that the absence of NCP(SP) leaders from the campaign trail was creating confusion among party workers and voters. "This will end as NCP chief Ajit Pawar, along with NCP(SP) working president Supriya Sule, will together unveil the alliance’s election manifesto," Deshmukh said.
Internal Challenges and Campaign Dynamics
The move towards an alliance was not without internal friction. The NCP(SP)'s city unit chief resigned in protest against the tie-up, forcing Supriya Sule to rush to Pune to manage the situation. She assured local leaders that the alliance would proceed only with their consent. While Sule had promised to lead the Pune campaign if the alliance materialized, her visible absence afterward was notable.
Ajit Pawar took charge of the combined campaign, holding rallies and roadshows for candidates from both factions. When questioned about Sule's lack of presence, Pawar mentioned he would call her to inquire about her campaign schedule. He also noted that NCP(SP) MPs Nilesh Lanke and Amol Kolhe had committed to joining the campaign soon.
The manifesto launch event will see a gathering of prominent leaders from both sides, including NCP(SP)'s Amol Kolhe and NCP Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar—who contested against Sule in the Baramati constituency during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—along with other local functionaries.
Unity Against a Common Foe
An NCP(SP) leader explained the rationale behind the unexpected partnership. The primary objective is to prevent a division of votes that would benefit the BJP, which is aiming for a second consecutive term in the PMC. A split in the NCP vote bank in the previous term had weakened the opposition's position.
"It was in the interest of both the NCP and NCP(SP) to come together to take on the BJP in PMC," the leader stated, adding that the united NCP was the main opposition in the PMC's last five-year term. The alliance is technically a seat-sharing agreement; candidates will contest using their respective party symbols and names.
NCP(SP) legislator Rohit Pawar echoed this sentiment, stating the alliance was based on shared ideology and opposition to their common political rivals. Looking ahead, an NCP(SP) leader confirmed that party workers from both sides would campaign in full strength for each other's candidates, seeking votes for alliance nominees across different party symbols.
