The 'Pawar experiment' fails: What lies ahead for Sharad and Ajit Pawar after civic poll debacle

The elections were also notable for an unusual and closely watched political experiment -- Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar contesting together for the first time since the NCP split in 2023, when Ajit Pawar joined the BJP-led government.

• BJP retains Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, ending Pawar family's urban dominance.
• Both NCP factions failed to win any major municipal corporation in Maharashtra
• Pawar alliance couldn't sway urban voters against BJP's strong presence.

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The 2026 Maharashtra municipal corporation election results have delivered a blunt political message to the Pawar family - legacy alone is no longer enough in the state’s fast-changing urban politics.

For the first time in decades, neither faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) nor the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, has managed to secure control of a single major municipal corporation. The setback is now raising uncomfortable questions about relevance, strategy, and the future direction of one of Maharashtra’s most influential political families.

A historic low point for the Pawars

The most symbolic defeats came in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, urban centres long considered Pawar strongholds. Both civic bodies are now firmly in the hands of the BJP, with the party set to retain control for a second consecutive term.

Notably, these losses are significant not just electorally but politically.

Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad were once the Pawars’ urban power bases, shaping state-level equations for decades. Their loss underlines how decisively the BJP has consolidated its urban footprint.

In fact, across the state, the results were equally grim for both NCP factions.

The NCP (SP) failed to open its account across 24 civic bodies, raising serious doubts about its organisational strength in urban areas. Ajit Pawar’s NCP, despite being part of the ruling Mahayuti at the state level, also failed to make a mark in the marquee civic contests, suffering defeats at the hands of the BJP.

The Pawar Experiment that Failed

Moreover, the elections were also notable for an unusual and closely watched political experiment -- Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar contesting together for the first time since the NCP split in 2023, when Ajit Pawar joined the BJP-led government.

The alliance was driven more by political compulsion than reconciliation, with both sides hoping that unity would help them reclaim lost urban bastions. Instead, the electorate delivered a clear rejection.

In addition, on the ground, the coming together never appeared complete.

While there was seat coordination and limited joint campaigning, party workers remained divided and messaging lacked clarity. Many voters appeared unconvinced that the alliance represented a genuine reunion, viewing it instead as a temporary adjustment aimed at stopping the BJP, as per a report by The Indian Express.

That ambiguity weakened the campaign and blunted its impact.

For Ajit Pawar, meanwhile, the civic polls marked a sharp shift in political posture.

Since his rebellion in 2023, the Deputy Chief Minister had largely maintained a cautious and cooperative relationship with the BJP. That equation, however, shifted when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the BJP would contest independently in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Ajit Pawar responded by aligning with his uncle while also continuing to remain part of the BJP-led government.

It should also be mentioned here that during the campaign, Ajit Pawar openly targeted the BJP over alleged corruption in Pimpri-Chinchwad’s civic administration. The attacks quickly drew an unusually blunt response from the BJP, with state president Ravindra Chavan remarking that the party “regretted taking Ajit Pawar along.”

For Sharad Pawar, on the other hand, the verdict raises deeper concerns.

Once considered the master strategist of Maharashtra politics, his faction’s inability to register meaningful urban gains brings into focus a weakening organisational presence, particularly among younger and middle-class voters. In cities such as Pune, electoral behaviour has increasingly been shaped by governance records, infrastructure delivery, and national-level narratives, areas where the BJP has invested heavily over the past decade.

Not just this. The results also indicate that unity alone may no longer be sufficient for the Pawars.

The campaign appeared reactive and heavily dependant on legacy influence rather than a forward-looking urban vision. The BJP, in the meantime, entered the contest with stronger booth-level management, clearer messaging, and a sustained organisational presence built over several years.

The setback now leaves both leaders at a crossroads.

Ajit Pawar must decide whether to recalibrate his relationship with the BJP and accept a reduced role within the Mahayuti, or to pursue a more serious reconciliation with Sharad Pawar as the BJP continues to expand. For Sharad Pawar, the challenge lies in rebuilding organisational strength and crafting a message that resonates with an evolving urban electorate.

With Zilla Parishad elections expected later this month, the Pawars may yet test their cooperation again.  The municipal results have, nonetheless, laid bare one reality -- the Pawar brand, once decisive in Maharashtra’s urban politics, no longer guarantees electoral success.