Pune civic polls: NCP factions come together as Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule share stage to release joint manifesto

In a rare show of unity ahead of the Pune municipal corporation elections, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) on Saturday released a joint manifesto for the civic polls, with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and party MP Supriya Sule sharing the stage at the event.

The joint manifesto marked a notable moment in Maharashtra’s civic poll season, coming nearly two years after the NCP split in 2023 and amid fluid political alignments at the local level. Despite belonging to rival state-level coalitions -- Ajit Pawar’s NCP being part of the ruling Mahayuti and the Sharad Pawar-led faction aligned with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi -- the two sides have decided to contest the January 15 elections together in both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

The presence of Supriya Sule and senior NCP (SP) leaders at the event was also significant, as the faction had remained largely low-key in the civic campaign until the manifesto release, indicating renewed coordination between the two groups.


Addressing the gathering, Ajit Pawar said the poll document centred on core civic concerns facing Pune, including assured tap water supply, decongestion of traffic, pothole-free roads, improved cleanliness, modern healthcare facilities, pollution control measures and slum rehabilitation. The manifesto also promises free travel on PMPML buses and the metro, a waiver of property tax for homes up to 500 square feet, and free computer tablets for students.

Even as his party remains in power with the BJP at the state and Centre, Pawar has sharpened his criticism of the local BJP leadership, accusing it of hampering development in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad despite the cities receiving substantial government funding. The BJP had controlled both civic bodies between 2017 and 2022.

Elections to the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations are scheduled for January 15, with vote counting to follow the next day.