After civic poll setback, two NCP factions edge towards reunion under Ajit Pawar

For the first time since the NCP was founded in 1999, Sharad Pawar’s party has been virtually erased from urban local bodies.

• NCP factions face historic losses in Maharashtra municipal polls
• Speculation grows over possible reunion of Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions
• Election setbacks highlight weakened NCP (SP) and shrinking urban influence

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A crushing setback for both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra’s recent municipal corporation elections has revived speculation of a reunion. Political observers suggest that electoral losses have pushed the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) closer to merging with the Ajit Pawar faction, as per a report by the Times of India.

For the first time since the NCP was founded in 1999, Sharad Pawar’s party has been virtually erased from urban local bodies. Of the 29 municipal corporations that went to the polls, the NCP (SP) failed to win a single seat in 14 civic bodies, marking a historic low for the veteran leader’s organisation.

The defeats were most striking in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, long seen as bastions of the Pawar family’s influence. Despite the two NCP factions coming together in an alliance to challenge the BJP in these cities, the results were dismal. In Pune Municipal Corporation, the NCP (SP) managed just two seats, while it drew a blank in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

The campaign itself reflected the fragility of the alliance.

Sharad Pawar did not address rallies, while NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule limited her participation to the release of the joint manifesto, steering clear of joint public meetings. Several senior leaders of the Sharad Pawar faction remained largely absent from the ground campaign.

Within the party, there is growing acknowledgment that the organisation has weakened significantly since the July 2023 split, which saw Ajit Pawar break away with a majority of MLAs and join the BJP-led government, states the report by The Times of India.

Party functionaries, cited in the report, have admitted that widespread defections have hollowed out the cadre base and left the NCP (SP) struggling to field strong candidates. According to political analysts, the election verdict has brought the merger question sharply back into focus.

“After the split, workers initially stayed with Sharad Pawar out of loyalty, but over time they have looked for political stability,” says analyst Parimal Maya Sudhakar as cited in the ToI report, further adding, “Many crossed over during the municipal elections. The NCP (SP) now has limited choices, either merge with a national party like the Congress and remain in opposition, or reunite with Ajit Pawar’s NCP to stay relevant in power politics.”

Meanwhile, the results have also subtly strengthened Ajit Pawar’s hand.

While his faction failed to challenge the BJP’s dominance in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, analysts cited in the report have noted that his leadership gained a degree of acceptance among Sharad Pawar loyalists during the alliance. The hostility that marked his 2023 rebellion appeared to soften as the two sides worked together.

With the BJP consolidating its urban strongholds and the Congress losing ground in key cities, the civic poll outcome has brought into the spotlight the shrinking space for legacy-driven politics.

For Sharad Pawar, now 85, the challenge lies in preventing further erosion of his support base and deciding whether survival depends on another major political realignment.

For Ajit Pawar, the defeat could paradoxically pave the way for consolidation, positioning him to lead a reunited NCP and turn electoral losses into an opportunity for political dominance.