Ajit Pawar suffers blow in Pimpri-Chinchwad, 25 leaders quit NCP ahead of polls, join Sharad Pawar

NCP city unit chief Ajit Gavhane and 24 other leaders, including 20 former corporators, joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP in the senior politician's presence

Pune: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Ajit Pawar has suffered a significant blow in Pimpri-Chinchwad, a crucial industrial town in Maharashtra, after its city unit chief Ajit Gavhane and 24 other leaders, including 20 former corporators, joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar during the party's foundation day program. (ANI Photo) (Deepak Salvi)

These politicians were inducted into NCP (SP) on Wednesday afternoon, in Pawar's presence.

"We have all joined Sharad Pawar's party since believe the only party which can take Pimpri-Chinchwad and rest of Maharashtra forward is NCP (SP)," said Gavhane.

The defections come at a critical juncture, with assembly polls looming on the horizon.

On Tuesday, Gavhane, along with Rahul Bhosale, Yash Sane, and Pankaj Bhalekar, tendered their resignations. "We will be seeking Sharad Pawar's blessings even as our decision on joining any party is not yet taken," Gavhane had stated. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of impeding the industrial town's development, noting, "While Ajit Pawar had previously developed Pimpri-Chinchwad, he has not gone with BJP."

Pimpri-Chinchwad has long been considered Ajit Pawar's stronghold, with his influence dominating local politics for three decades. Until 2017, his party (then the undivided NCP) controlled the civic body. The departure of these four members could potentially trigger a wave of defections from Ajit Pawar's faction in the region.

NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil conceded, "Any leader or leaders quitting the party is a setback."

Party sources suggest that Gavhane aspires to contest the upcoming assembly polls from the Bhosari constituency, currently represented by Mahesh Landge, who is likely to seek re-election. Pimpri-Chinchwad encompasses three assembly seats: Bhosari, Pimpri, and Chinchwad.

This latest development adds another layer of complexity to Maharashtra's already tumultuous political landscape. The Pawar family schism, which emerged following Ajit Pawar's rebellion against his uncle in 2023, continues to reshape political allegiances in the state.

While Sharad Pawar remains in opposition, Ajit Pawar has aligned with the National Democratic Alliance under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, serving as deputy chief minister. The recent Lok Sabha elections highlighted this divide, with Ajit Pawar's faction securing only one seat in Raigad, while Sharad Pawar's group claimed victory in eight constituencies.

The ruling Mahayuti coalition, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar's NCP faction, won 17 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. In contrast, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, consisting of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, and Sharad Pawar's NCP faction, emerged victorious in 30 seats.