Mumbai: In yet another family reunion (besides the Thackerays), the two NCP factions had tied up for the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporation elections. But leads show the strategy has failed.
Both corporations were once undivided NCP bastions, before slipping into the BJP’s kitty in 2017. This time, in an effort to win back the family citadel, the Pawar family (Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar) joined hands, but leads indicate a massive setback to the Pawar family in both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
In Pune by 3 pm, BJP was leading in 97 of 165 seats, while both NCPs secured 10 (NCP-AP 8, NCP-SP 2). Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena isn’t leading in any seat and the MVA (Congress, Shiv Sena UBT, MNS) is leading in 6 seats.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad, of the 128, BJP is leading in 85 seats, NCP is leading in 35 seats (Ajit Pawar faction in 34; Sharad Pawar faction in 1), Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena is leading in 7, and MVA (Congress, Shiv Sena UBT, MNS) is yet to open its account.
The Pawars joining hands seems to have been a futile exercise, as BJP’s popularity has outweighed the combined NCP. This puts a big question mark on the future of NCP-SP and Ajit Pawar’s importance in the Mahayuti.
Although Ajit Pawar has clarified that both NCPs coming together in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad polls does not mean a merger is on the cards in future, after this debacle, both NCPs will need to take a hard look at what lies ahead for them.
Meanwhile, for the BJP, its performance solidifies its position in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, twin cities that were once the bastion of the Pawar family.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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