In a significant political development ahead of the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, leaders from the rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have held a key meeting, fueling speculation of a potential electoral alliance. Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP SP) leader Azam Pansare confirmed that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar met him on Saturday, marking their first interaction after a long gap.
Meeting Sparks Alliance Buzz
After the meeting, Azam Pansare told news agency ANI that there is a desire for an alliance between the two NCP groups. "We wish to have an alliance... He told me that a decision will be taken soon," Pansare stated. He added that Ajit Pawar visited him after a considerable time and they discussed various general issues. This meeting comes amidst intense political maneuvering for the upcoming civic polls across Maharashtra.
Conflicting Signals from Party Leaders
However, the path to an alliance appears fraught with internal disagreements. NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule presented a more cautious stance. Speaking in Pune on Wednesday, she clarified that no alliance has been finalized yet with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP for the Pune civic polls. She emphasized that her party would not proceed until all doubts and apprehensions of their party workers are adequately addressed.
Contrasting this, another NCP-SCP leader, Ankush Kakade, had earlier expressed optimism. On December 23, Kakade stated that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners, along with a temporarily united NCP, would soon decide on a seat-sharing formula. He claimed that both NCP factions had decided to contest the upcoming municipal elections together and that their ideologies aligned.
Broader MVA Dynamics and Poll Schedule
The Congress party, a key constituent of the MVA alongside Shiv Sena (UBT), is watching these developments closely. While it has not formally committed to the proposed broader alliance for the BMC polls, it sees potential political advantage in the unification of the Pawar factions, viewing it as a blow to the rival NDA's 'Mahayuti' alliance in the state.
Elections for 29 civic corporations in Maharashtra, including the Pune Municipal Corporation, are scheduled for January 15, with the vote count set for the following day. The recent municipal council and nagar panchayat elections showed the Ajit Pawar-led NCP securing a dominant 966 seats, compared to 256 won by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), highlighting the high stakes involved in any partnership.
