Negotiations between the two rival Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions over seat sharing have hit a deadlock, prompting the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) to reopen talks with Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections.
Talks stalled after Ajit Pawar’s faction insisted that NCP (SP) candidates contest on the ‘clock’ symbol instead of their own ‘trumpet’ symbol — a demand rejected by Sharad Pawar’s camp. (HT)
Last week, NCP (SP) held discussions with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP to reach an understanding for the civic polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. However, talks stalled after Ajit Pawar’s faction insisted that NCP (SP) candidates contest on the ‘clock’ symbol instead of their own ‘trumpet’ symbol — a demand rejected by Sharad Pawar’s camp.
Following the breakdown, a senior NCP (SP) delegation approached Congress late Friday night to revive negotiations within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) framework, raising the possibility of a three-party alliance. When asked about the stalled talks, Ajit Pawar said, “Once anything is decided, I will let you know.”
Congress city unit president Arvind Shinde confirmed that seat-sharing discussions among MVA partners are at an advanced stage. “We have held detailed discussions with Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) on seat sharing. Talks have progressed well, and a joint press conference is likely on Sunday,” he said.
NCP (SP) spokesperson Ankush Kakade said the party had little choice but to revert to the MVA after certain conditions set by Ajit Pawar’s faction proved unacceptable. “We had initiated discussions with the MVA as some demands made by Ajit Pawar’s party could not be agreed upon,” Kakade said, referring to the insistence on the clock symbol. NCP (SP) leader Vishal Tambe added, “At this moment, nothing is certain. As things stand, we are moving ahead with the Maha Vikas Aghadi.”
Political equations remain fluid. Sources said Ajit Pawar on Saturday held discussions with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to explore whether his faction could contest the civic polls in alliance with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, adding to uncertainty over final alignments. Senior leaders acknowledged that the situation could change even at the last moment. “No one can say with certainty what will happen until Sunday evening. Both NCP factions could still come together, in which case Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) may contest together,” one leader said.
Currently, three possible electoral combinations are being considered: the BJP with the Republican Party of India (RPI); the Maha Vikas Aghadi — Congress, NCP-SP, Shiv Sena-UBT; or an alliance between Ajit Pawar’s NCP and Shinde’s Shiv Sena. Negotiations are expected to continue over the next two days as parties await the BJP’s candidate list. “There is unrest within the BJP due to multiple aspirants. Rebel candidates could end up getting tickets from either the MVA or Ajit Pawar’s NCP,” said a senior NCP leader on condition of anonymity.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad, communication channels between the two NCP factions remain open. NCP (SP) MP Amol Kolhe visited Ajit Pawar’s residence on Saturday for a 30-minute discussion. Earlier on Friday, Kolhe and NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar had met local NCP leaders to discuss seat-sharing possibilities.
With the nomination deadline on December 30, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad are set for a politically charged weekend as parties scramble to finalise their strategies for the civic polls.
