The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has reinforced its political dominance in Pune district, securing control of a majority of local self-government bodies in the recently concluded elections. The results, announced on Sunday, December 21, 2025, show the party's stronghold in the region, particularly in its traditional bastion of Baramati.
Pune District: A Clear Mandate for Ajit Pawar's NCP
In elections across 17 local bodies—comprising 14 municipal councils and three nagar panchayats—the Ajit Pawar faction emerged victorious in 10 councils. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won four, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured three. The NCP's winning councils include Lonavala, Daund, Indapur, Jejuri, Baramati, Phursungi, Wadgaon Maval, and Malegaon. In these 10 bodies, the party also successfully elected its candidates as council presidents.
The Shiv Sena captured the municipal councils of Chakan, Manchar, Rajgurunagar, and Junnar. The BJP's victories came in Saswad, Alandi, and Talegaon. Notably, in Talegaon, Bhor, and Shirur, the BJP and NCP fought in an alliance. This led to interesting outcomes: in Talegaon, the NCP won most seats but a BJP candidate became council president, while in Shirur and Bhor, the BJP secured a majority but NCP candidates assumed the president's role.
Reacting to the victory, NCP national president Ajit Pawar stated, "The mandate which NCP received is the victory of development, stability and politics in the interest of people. We will live up to the trust that voters have shown in us through our work."
Baramati: A One-Sided Affair with a Silver Lining for Opposition
The most significant result came from the prestigious Baramati Municipal Council, the Pawar family's home turf. Here, Ajit Pawar's NCP won a resounding 35 out of 41 seats. In a major setback, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) managed to secure only a single seat.
However, the opposition found a glimmer of hope. For the first time in Baramati's electoral history, six opposition candidates were elected. Yugendra Pawar of the NCP(SP), who lost to his uncle Ajit Pawar in last year's Assembly polls, highlighted this development. "We might have lost the Baramati Municipal Council elections but for the first time in Baramati polls, six opposition candidates have been elected. Otherwise, Baramati elections have always been one-sided," he said. He added that three independent candidates backed by his party also won, and six NCP(SP) candidates lost by narrow margins of 100-150 votes.
NCP candidate Sachin Satav was elected as the Baramati council president. The elections also saw notable individual contests. The youngest winner was 21-year-old advocate Sanghmitra Choudhari, daughter of BSP's Kaluram Choudhari, a known critic of the Pawar family. She defeated NCP's Swati Ahiwale. OBC leader Laxman Hake, who campaigned for her, congratulated the young winner.
Key Contests Across the District and Beyond
In other important results, the NCP wrested control of the Lonavala Municipal Council from the BJP, winning 16 of 27 seats. Rajendra Sonawane of the NCP was elected president, defeating his BJP rival by over 10,000 votes.
In Sangamner, Ahmednagar district, the Sangamner Seva Samiti—led by Satyajit Tambe, nephew of senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat—won a decisive mandate, securing 27 of 30 seats. Dr. Maithili Tambe, Satyajit's wife, won by a massive 16,644 votes. This victory was seen as a "sweet revenge" for Thorat, who lost his Assembly seat to Shiv Sena's Amol Khatal last year. The election was a direct fight between the Thorat-Tambe combine and the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, which was campaigned for by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
A controversial situation unfolded in the Angar Nagar Panchayat in Solapur district. Here, all 17 BJP candidates were elected unopposed. Prajakta Patil, daughter-in-law of former MLA Rajan Patil (who recently switched from NCP to BJP), became president unopposed. The panchayat had earlier made headlines when NCP candidate Ujwala Thite required security from 200 police personnel to file her nomination, alleging threats from rivals.
In Sangola, Shiv Sena leader Shahaji Bapu Patil won the municipal council polls despite an alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT), and PWP against him. He credited his four decades of grassroots work for the victory.
The election results underscore the continuing influence of Ajit Pawar's NCP in western Maharashtra's political landscape, while also highlighting emerging local challenges and alliances.
