NCP vs BJP in Pune PMC? Sunil Tingre Raises Fund Allocation with CM Fadnavis
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 24th August 2026: Former Wadgaonsheri MLA and Pune city Nationalist Congress Party president Sunil Tingre has urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to intervene in a dispute over the allocation of development funds and representation for NCP corporators in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
In a letter submitted to the chief minister on Monday, Tingre alleged that decisions taken by the BJP-led civic administration had adversely affected NCP corporators and development projects in their wards.
The dispute follows decisions to divert development funds allocated to wards represented by NCP corporators. Recent reports identified the affected corporators as Amol Balwadkar and Suhas Tingre.
Tingre said the NCP had consistently adopted a cooperative approach as a constituent of the Mahayuti alliance. However, he maintained that political disagreements between alliance partners should not affect civic representatives or development work meant for residents.
“As a constituent of the Mahayuti, we have always adopted a cooperative approach. However, my clear stand is that political differences should not affect the work of corporators or the development of the city and its citizens,” Tingre said in a statement accompanying the letter.
According to the former legislator, a decision was taken by the PMC Standing Committee to reduce to zero the allocations made to two NCP corporators. He claimed that similar action was also being considered against other corporators from the party.
Tingre urged the chief minister to ensure that NCP corporators received equal and fair opportunities to undertake development projects in their respective wards.
“We expect NCP corporators in the Pune Municipal Corporation to receive equal and fair opportunities for development work in their wards, as well as appropriate representation on various committees,” he said.
The NCP leader also alleged that the party had not been given the chairmanship of a single ward committee during the constitution of the PMC’s ward-level bodies. Such decisions, he said, could directly affect the functioning of corporators and the implementation of civic projects.
Referring to the strained relations between the Mahayuti partners at the local level, Tingre said electoral and political disagreements involving an individual should not be used to penalise an entire party, its corporators or residents.
He noted that the NCP had continued to support development-related proposals despite the ongoing dispute. The letter cited the proposed ‘Bharat Mandapam’ project at Vimannagar, saying senior NCP leaders had extended their cooperation in the interest of Pune’s development.
Tingre said this demonstrated that the party’s position was not based on personal or partisan opposition.
“Pune’s development is bigger than party politics. I am confident that there will be positive intervention in this matter and that an appropriate decision will be taken,” he said.
The former MLA also said the NCP did not support objectionable criticism directed at senior Mahayuti leaders. According to him, the party remained committed to the development-oriented and constructive political approach promoted by its late leader Ajit Pawar.
Tingre said Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar had earlier drawn the chief minister’s attention to the issue through a letter and sought necessary directions to the municipal administration. However, he claimed that the matter had not yet been resolved as expected.
Addressing Fadnavis as the principal leader of the Mahayuti, Tingre requested him to personally review the situation and hold discussions with local office-bearers.
“We believe that your positive intervention will strengthen the spirit of cooperation within the Mahayuti,” Tingre stated in the letter.
The fund-allocation dispute has intensified tensions between the BJP and the NCP within the civic body, even though the two parties remain constituents of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra.
