In a significant political development in Maharashtra, estranged cousins and rival faction leaders Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule shared a stage for the first time since their party split over two years ago. The occasion was the release of a joint manifesto for the upcoming Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporation elections.
A Platform of Unity After a Bitter Split
The event on Saturday marked a notable moment of public bonhomie between the two leaders, who had been training guns at each other during the 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly polls. The split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) occurred in July 2023, leading to the formation of two factions: Ajit Pawar's NCP and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP). Despite being on opposite sides in the state government and at the Centre, the two parties have forged an alliance specifically for the Pune civic polls.
"Wait and Watch": The Merger Question Looms
Naturally, their joint appearance fueled intense speculation about a possible merger of the two outfits. When pressed on the issue, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar remained non-committal, advising everyone to "wait and watch" without giving a specific answer. He emphasized respect for the court, where the NCP (SP) has a case claiming ownership of the party's name and "clock" symbol. Ajit Pawar stated that he and Supriya Sule would sit together to find a solution to their issues, asserting that nobody else needed to bother about it.
Supriya Sule addressed the discontent among some party workers following the alliance, a sentiment felt on both sides. "When any alliance is formed, some party workers get disappointed. But we will not leave them on their own. On both sides of the alliance, our focus is on workers and not on netas," Sule said.
Campaign Dynamics and Upcoming Polls
Demonstrating the newfound camaraderie, Ajit Pawar came to his cousin's rescue when she was questioned about her absence from the Pune campaign trail. He explained that Sule had asked him, as the elder, to take the lead in the campaign, promising to follow him. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections are scheduled for January 15, coinciding with polls for 28 other municipal corporations in Maharashtra.
This alliance represents a strategic coming together for local body elections, even as the two factions maintain their separate and opposing identities on the larger state and national political canvas. The joint manifesto release has undoubtedly set the stage for a closely watched electoral battle in Pune.
