The political landscape for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections has been dramatically reshaped with the collapse of the ruling Mahayuti alliance at the local level. The three major partners—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)—have failed to forge a seat-sharing agreement. This sets the stage for a fiercely contested multi-cornered fight when the city goes to the polls on January 15, 2026.
Seat-Sharing Talks Collapse, Alliance Partners Go Solo
The breakdown of negotiations means that the BJP will contest all 165 seats in the civic body. In a strategic move, the party has also fielded workers from the Republican Party of India (Athawale) faction, who will be contesting on the BJP's election symbol. Union Minister and BJP MP Murlidhar Mohol stated that the party attempted an alliance with the Shiv Sena until the last moment. He described the impending contest as a "friendly fight," similar to what was witnessed during the first phase of local rural body elections.
The proposed deal fell through over seat distribution. The BJP had offered the Shiv Sena 16 seats, which was significantly lower than the latter's demand for at least 25 seats. Consequently, the Shiv Sena has decided to contest independently on 110 seats. Party leader Nilam Gorhe clarified that while the pre-poll alliance did not materialize in Pune, the Shiv Sena's partnership with the BJP at the state and national levels remains intact.
Opposition Blocs Consolidate as Fourth Front Emerges
On the other side, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has formed a coalition with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) and a faction of the RPI to contest a total of 163 seats. Pune NCP chief Sunil Tingre provided the breakdown: 125 candidates from the Ajit Pawar faction, 35 from the NCP(SP), and the remaining seats given to RPI (Kharat). He noted that there are nine seats where candidates from both NCP factions are in the fray.
Adding another dimension to the contest, a fourth front has emerged with the Congress joining hands with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena(UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Other parties like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), and AIMIM have also fielded candidates, ensuring a highly fragmented electoral battle.
Election Structure and Early Wins
The PMC polls will elect a total of 165 corporators from 41 wards. As per the state government's decision, 40 wards will elect four corporators each, while one ward will elect five corporators. In a minor head start for the BJP, two of its candidates—Manjusha Nagpure and Shrikant Jagtap from the Suncity-Manikbaug ward—have already been elected unopposed.
The failure of the Mahayuti partners to present a united front in Pune, a key urban center, highlights the challenges of alliance management in local body polls where hyper-local issues and ambitions often override broader political partnerships. The outcome on January 15 will be a crucial indicator of the shifting political equations in Maharashtra.
