Several wards have witnessed a surge in lucky draw schemes offering SUVs, two-wheelers and gold ornaments as prizes. Women voters, in particular, have emerged as a major focus of campaign outreach. Thousands of Paithani sarees, sewing machines and bicycles have been distributed through various initiatives, while contests and events aimed at homemakers have been organised to boost engagement.
Youth outreach has also taken centre stage. Cricket tournaments with prize money running into ₹1 lakh, free music concerts and large community events have become common features of election campaigning. In Pimpri Chinchwad, a candidate recently organised a lucky draw with an SUV as the top prize, along with a concert featuring Bollywood performers, drawing crowds in the thousands.
Political observers say the scale of spending reflects intense competition driven by overcrowded tickets, delayed civic elections and a growing number of first-time aspirants. Analysts argue that such campaigns signal a shift towards visibility-driven politics, where spectacle often overshadows discussions on governance, civic planning and long-term development.
Amid this freebie-heavy campaign atmosphere, important political developments are unfolding behind the scenes. Sources indicate that talks are underway between the Sharad Pawar-led and Ajit Pawar-led factions of the Nationalist Congress Party for a possible alliance in the January 15 civic polls. Preliminary seat-sharing discussions have taken place, with Sharad Pawar reportedly seeking 40 to 45 seats, while Ajit Pawar is believed to be open to conceding around 30. Further negotiations, including consultations with Supriya Sule, are expected in the coming days.
With elections scheduled across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Pune, the combination of political realignments and lavish campaigning has set the stage for a closely watched and high-voltage civic battle.
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