In a significant political development ahead of the crucial municipal elections in Maharashtra, the two rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party have forged an electoral alliance. Supriya Sule, the working president of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and the party chief's daughter, has confirmed that the alliance with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's NCP is in place for the upcoming civic body polls.
Seat-Sharing Talks and Communication Channel Open
Speaking in an interview, the Baramati MP revealed that communication between the two factions, which had been strained, is now active. "Our communication with Ajit Pawar has been established and we are in constant touch now, especially about our seats," Sule stated. This indicates ongoing negotiations for seat-sharing agreements for the elections to the 165-member Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body, scheduled for January 15.
While the alliance is confirmed, Sule mentioned that the complete data regarding candidate nominations, including the reported submission of AB forms for 70 NCP(SP) candidates in Pune, is still being collected from across the state. She described the decision to join hands as a unanimous one taken by both sides, refusing to delve into who initiated the talks.
Addressing Speculations and Adani Ties
The alliance has sparked widespread speculation about a potential future merger of the two NCP factions. Sule, however, dismissed these talks, emphasizing her focus on the immediate electoral battle. "I cannot prevent speculations but have no time for them. I am busy with the civic body elections," she said. When pressed on whether the NCP(SP) would ever join the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, she firmly stated there were no such discussions.
In a notable admission, Sule also addressed her family's long-standing personal ties with industrialist Gautam Adani, a subject of criticism from their Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally, the Congress. "We have never hidden it," she asserted, revealing that Adani has been visiting Sharad Pawar in Baramati for the past 30 years, including during Diwali. She distinguished these personal relations from political alignments.
Roadmap Focused on Civic Polls
With the alliance now formalized for at least the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad polls, the immediate focus for both NCP groups is the 29 municipal corporation elections across Maharashtra. Sule dismissed notions of any existential crisis for her party based on the poll performance, stating that fear has no place in politics. The coming together of the Pawar family factions marks a major shift in Maharashtra's political landscape as the state gears up for a key electoral test.
