The political landscape of Pune district has witnessed a significant shift following the results of the recently concluded municipal council elections. The faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has emerged as the dominant force, securing control in a majority of the local bodies. This outcome marks a crucial recovery for Ajit Pawar's camp after facing setbacks in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.
Reversal of Fortunes in Pune's Political Arena
The civic poll results, announced in December 2025, have delivered a clear message about the local clout of Ajit Pawar. His party won decisively in 10 out of the 17 municipal councils that went to polls in Pune district. This performance is particularly noteworthy because it comes after a period where the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) or NCP(SP) had appeared stronger at the parliamentary level.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the NCP(SP) had outperformed Ajit Pawar's NCP in Pune. Veteran leader Sharad Pawar's daughter, Supriya Sule, defeated Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, in the high-profile Baramati constituency. The NCP(SP) also secured the Shirur seat. However, the tide began to turn during the subsequent Maharashtra Assembly elections, where Ajit Pawar's NCP, as part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, won eight seats in the Pune region.
Checking BJP's Expansion and Strengthening the Home Turf
A key implication of this civic poll victory is the effective brake it has placed on the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) expansion in Pune district. Despite being allies at the state and national level, the NCP and BJP were in direct competition in many of these local council contests. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP managed to snatch power from the BJP in the Lonavala Municipal Council and defeated it in Bhor, where the BJP was banking on the influence of former Congress leader Sangram Thopte.
Most significantly, the results have solidified Ajit Pawar's footing in the family's traditional stronghold of Baramati. His faction emerged as the single largest party in the Baramati Municipal Council elections, defeating an alliance guided by his own nephew, Yugendra Pawar, who was campaigning for the NCP(SP). This win, following his Assembly victory in 2024, reinforces his control over the home turf after the Lok Sabha defeat.
Strategic Setback for NCP(SP) and Future Implications
The municipal council elections have put the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) on the backfoot in district-level politics. After a promising Lok Sabha performance, the party could only win one Assembly seat in Pune and has now failed to make a significant impact in the civic polls. This indicates a challenge in translating national-level sympathy for the veteran leader into ground-level organizational success for his new party.
These local body results are crucial as they occur against the backdrop of an ongoing legal battle. The split of the original NCP, which saw Ajit Pawar take over the party's name and symbol, is still being contested by Sharad Pawar's faction in the Supreme Court. A final decision is pending. In the meantime, dominance in civic polls provides Ajit Pawar with tangible organizational strength and grassroots support, which is vital for any political party's long-term survival.
The outcome underscores that while national narratives and legal battles are important, control over local governance bodies remains a fundamental pillar of political power in Maharashtra. For Ajit Pawar, this victory is a substantial step in consolidating his position and proving the resilience of his faction's machinery in its core geographical area.
