Sharad Pawar Rules Out Alliance With Ajit Pawar, Maha Vikas Aghadi to Contest Pune Municipal Elections
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 26th December 2025: In a decisive political move ahead of the Pune Municipal Corporation elections, the Nationalist Congress Party led by Sharad Pawar has formally ruled out any alliance with Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction. With this, it is now almost certain that the civic polls in Pune will be contested by the Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the NCP (Sharad Pawar), Congress, and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).
The development marks a major shift in Pune’s political landscape, ending days of speculation about a possible reconciliation between the two NCP factions. The uncertainty had triggered significant churn within the Sharad Pawar-led party, culminating in the resignation of its city president Prashant Jagtap, who joined the Congress earlier on Friday. However, within hours of that development, Sharad Pawar’s clear decision to stay away from Ajit Pawar’s camp added a dramatic turn to the unfolding political narrative.
Fast-paced political developments through the day
Political activity gathered pace throughout Friday, with a series of meetings involving leaders of the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), and other Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents. During a meeting of the Congress parliamentary board, a firm decision was taken not to align with Ajit Pawar’s NCP. This was followed by a separate meeting of senior leaders from the Sharad Pawar faction.
Later in the afternoon, a few leaders from the Sharad Pawar group met Ajit Pawar to explore the possibility of cooperation. Discussions reportedly focused on seat-sharing arrangements and election symbols. However, talks broke down over the issue of the ‘clock’ symbol, with Ajit Pawar’s faction insisting on it and the Sharad Pawar group firmly refusing to concede. Following this impasse, the Sharad Pawar faction convened another internal meeting and took a final call to contest the Pune civic elections exclusively with the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
The decision was immediately communicated to the Congress leadership. Late-night meetings on seat-sharing among Maha Vikas Aghadi partners resumed soon after, effectively closing the door on any possibility of a joint fight between the two NCP factions in Pune.
Ajit Pawar faction steps up outreach, MVA leaders respond
With the break appearing final, Ajit Pawar’s NCP has reportedly intensified efforts to reach out to influential leaders and potential candidates from other parties since Friday afternoon. There is speculation about attempts to attract leaders from Shiv Sena and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.
Meanwhile, leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi claimed that the unity of the alliance in Pune had thwarted attempts by the BJP to engineer a split within the opposition bloc.
Prashant Jagtap’s switch fuels political buzz
The political churn was further intensified by the Congress entry of Prashant Jagtap, who quit the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, earlier in the day. His move, reportedly taken without consulting senior party leaders, led to open expressions of displeasure within the Sharad Pawar camp.
However, with the subsequent confirmation that the party would remain within the Maha Vikas Aghadi, attention across political circles has remained firmly fixed on Pune.
As the Pune Municipal Corporation elections draw closer, Sharad Pawar’s decision is being seen as a move that could significantly reshape electoral equations in the city. Observers expect further high-voltage political developments in the days ahead.
