Council polls: Discontent in NCP after conceding Pune seat to BJP

Leaders cite this loss as a collective failure and express concern about the party's weakening position in a traditionally strong region.

Mumbai: Unrest is brewing within the Sunetra Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) again, this time over the party’s failure to secure the Pune graduates’ constituency as part of the seat-sharing arrangement with Mahayuti allies for the upcoming legislative council elections.

Senior NCP leaders Praful Patel (left) and Sunil Tatkare both expressed concern about the development. (ANI)

On Wednesday, NCP national working president Praful Patel described the decision as “demoralising” for party workers, particularly in Pune and adjoining districts.

“It is demoralising for the party workers of those districts, especially Pune,” Patel said.

His remarks came a day after Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare described loss of the seat as a “collective” failure of the party leadership.

“The seat was rightfully ours, but we did not get it; this is the reality. We fell short and it is our collective failure,” Tatkare told reporters on Tuesday.

The back-to-back remarks by two senior NCP leaders have laid bare the resentment within the party over the decision to concede the Pune graduates’ seat to the BJP. The setback is politically significant as Pune has traditionally been one of the NCP’s strongholds and a majority of its MLAs are from western Maharashtra.

Senior leaders and cadres are concerned that conceding Pune could further weaken the party’s position in a region where it has a significant political presence.

Polling for the Aurangabad, Pune and Nagpur graduates’ constituencies and the Amravati and Pune teachers’ constituencies is scheduled on October 23.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis recently held a meeting with both the deputy chief ministers – Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde and NCP president Sunetra Pawar – to unanimously decide the seat-sharing arrangement. During the meeting, it was decided that the NCP would contest only the Aurangabad teacher’s constituency, despite having won the Pune graduates’ seat in the previous legislative council elections held in December 2020. Back then, the NCP’s Arun Lad had defeated BJP nominee Sangram Deshmukh.

After the NCP conceded the Pune graduates’ seat to the BJP, the latter declared Smita Jadhav as its candidate, leading to discontent within the NCP leadership.

On Tuesday, when reporters raised questions about Suntera Pawar’s capability in holding seat-sharing talks, Tatkare said, “Vahini (Sunetra Pawar) is capable enough and tries to put forth the party’s stand effectively, hence it would be wrong to draw an inference that our bargaining power has been reduced and we have weakened.”

Speaking to Hindustan Times, a senior NCP leader claimed that Pawar had been alerted in advance about the BJP’s intention to seek the Pune graduates’ seat.

“She was apprised about the BJP’s plan and was also advised not to commit anything which would go against the party’s interest. Later, we came to know that the party is contesting only one seat,” the senior leader revealed.

NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil, however, sought to play down the setback, arguing that conceding the seat should not be viewed as a failure.

“The BJP is stronger than the NCP in Pune, having won more seats in both local body and assembly elections. We are in second position in the district. Moreover, our sitting MLC has also left the party, which has weakened our bargaining position. It does not mean failure,” Patil said.