The political landscape for the upcoming Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections has intensified, with the Congress party formally reaching out to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. In a significant move on Thursday, members of the Congress election committee met NCP's Pimpri Chinchwad president Yogesh Behl to explore an alliance and submitted a proposal seeking 20 seats in the 128-member civic body.
Multi-Cornered Alliances and Friendly Fights
The battle lines have been drawn by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who stated that the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will contest against Ajit Pawar's NCP in both Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, terming these as "friendly fights." This declaration has positioned the NCP as a preferred alternative for several opposition parties aiming to counter the BJP. The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) are all considering the NCP for potential alliances.
Congress election committee member Manoj Kamble clarified the party's stance, stating their leadership has directed them to ally with any party ready to oppose the BJP. "We submitted our proposal, but the final decision will be taken by our state president Harshvardhan Sapkal and NCP's Ajit Pawar," Kamble said. This outreach follows a similar proposal from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), where NCP (SP) city president Tushar Kamthe met Ajit Pawar, urging an alliance that also accommodates the MNS.
Defections and Internal Dissent Reshape Contests
The political flux is triggering significant defections. In a blow to the Uddhav Thackeray camp, former PCMC mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) city president Sanjog Waghere resigned on Thursday and is set to join the BJP. Conversely, five former corporators, including three from the BJP and one each from the Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT), joined the NCP on Tuesday.
Internal dissent is also surfacing within the BJP. Aspirants from ward number 25 held a press conference to oppose the possible induction of NCP (SP)'s Rahul Kalate into the BJP. This highlights the tension as the BJP's local unit recently interviewed a staggering 730 ticket aspirants, with many fearing denial. The NCP is actively capitalizing on this, exploring alliances and considering strong candidates from the BJP who might switch sides.
NCP's Strategic Calculations and Historical Context
Sources within the NCP reveal the party is leaving no stone unturned. Apart from talks with Congress and MVA constituents, it is also in discussions with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, anticipating potential seat-sharing troubles between the Shinde Sena and the BJP. An NCP office-bearer indicated a meeting is likely with Shiv Sena MP Shrirang Barne on Saturday to discuss an alliance.
The party acknowledges it lacks strong candidates for all 128 seats and is thus exploring all alliance options. Ajit Pawar, who vowed on Monday to personally strive for NCP's victory in Pimpri Chinchwad, has begun preparations in earnest. The stakes are high as Pimpri Chinchwad was an NCP bastion for nearly two decades until 2017, when the BJP wrested control, winning 77 seats and pushing the then-undivided NCP to a distant second with 36 seats.
With a large pool of aspirants within the BJP and probable defectors from other parties, the NCP has firmly established itself as a viable and powerful second option, setting the stage for a highly competitive and unpredictable civic election.
