The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections have exposed sharp fault lines within ruling alliances, with state-level partners turning rivals across several wards. Despite a pre-poll understanding, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena are locked in direct contests on as many as 119 seats, while the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), are facing each other on seven seats in what leaders have termed a “friendly fight”.
The situation underlines the fragility of civic-level alliances, as delayed decisions, unresolved seat-sharing talks and last-minute nomination strategies resulted in alliance partners fielding candidates against each other. (HT)
The situation underlines the fragility of civic-level alliances, as delayed decisions, unresolved seat-sharing talks and last-minute nomination strategies resulted in alliance partners fielding candidates against each other.
Although the BJP and Shiv Sena had announced an alliance for the PMC polls, coordination broke down during the nomination process. Sources said the BJP had offered the Shiv Sena only 15 seats, triggering discontent within the Sena. The delay in announcing the final list and distributing AB forms further compounded the problem, leaving Sena aspirants uncertain.
With nomination deadlines nearing and no clarity emerging, the Shiv Sena decided to go solo and filed nominations in 119 wards, setting up a direct contest with its ally.
On Friday, Neelam Gorhe, deputy chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, confirmed that the Shiv Sena would contest more than 110 seats. She said the party had initially demanded 25 seats from the BJP but went ahead independently after the demand was not accepted.
Party leaders said the delay in issuing AB forms proved decisive, as several Shiv Sena aspirants feared exclusion at the last moment and chose to file nominations to protect their prospects. While talks continued among senior leaders till the end, coordination at the grassroots level collapsed.
According to details released by the Shiv Sena’s Pune unit, the party has fielded full panels in 15 wards, including Yerawada–Gandhinagar (ward 6), Chhatrapati Shivajinagar–Model Colony (12), Manjari Budruk–Keshavnagar (15), Shankarmaharaj Math–Bibwewadi (20), Mukundnagar–Salisbury Park (21), Ravivar Peth–Nana Peth (23), Kasba Peth–Kamala Nehru Hospital (24), Ghorpade Peth–Guruwar Peth (26), Janata Vasahat–Hingane Khurd (28), Karve Nagar–Hingne Home Colony (30), Narhe–Vadgaon Budruk–Dhayari (34), Sahakar Nagar–Padmavati (36), Balajinagar–Ambegaon–Katraj (38), Upper–Super–Indiranagar (39) and Mohammadwadi–Undri (41). The Sena has not fielded any candidate in ward 13 (Pune Station–Jai Jawan Nagar). In all, the party has filed 119 candidates, including 63 women and 55 men.
Even as the BJP and Shiv Sena confront each other electorally, Shiv Sena leader and industries minister Uday Samant said on Saturday that his party would focus on Pune’s development and avoid personal or political attacks. Taking a swipe at the BJP, Samant said criticism of rivals was being handled by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
“Our party talks about Pune’s development. We do not need to attack anyone. Ajit Pawar is doing the job of criticism,” Samant said.
He added that the BJP’s ally had assumed the Shiv Sena would not be able to field candidates, but the party proved otherwise by putting up 120 candidates within hours. Samant expressed confidence that the next mayor of Pune could not be elected without Shiv Sena’s support.
Launching the Shiv Sena’s campaign in Pune, Samant described the contest as one between “Shivshakti and dhanashakti”, alleging that rival parties were relying on money power while the Sena was banking on public support. He urged party candidates to avoid criticism, reiterating that there was no need to attack opponents.
In another significant development, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) are facing each other on seven seats in Pune. Leaders from both sides have described these contests as “friendly fights”, driven largely by local equations rather than broader political rivalry.
The Ajit Pawar faction has fielded over 130 candidates, while the NCP (SP) has put up around 43. Ankush Kakade, a leader of the NCP (SP), said efforts were made on the last day to persuade candidates to withdraw, following which 15 withdrew their nominations.
The two NCP factions will now face each other in wards 9B, 16B, 16C, 25C, 27A, 27C and 27D. Despite these contests, Ajit Pawar maintained that the party’s principal fight was against the BJP. “Our main contest is against the BJP. Either they will come to power or we will,” he said.
The electoral landscape in Pune has been further complicated by direct contests between Congress candidates and Shiv Sena–MNS candidates on 24 seats, turning several wards into multi-cornered battles and increasing the likelihood of vote splits.
With the BJP, Shiv Sena, Congress, MNS and both NCP factions in the fray, the PMC elections have become one of the most fragmented civic contests in recent years. Political observers say the outcome will not only decide control of the civic body but also test the durability and discipline of alliances ahead of future electoral battles.