Prashant Jagtap, who quit NCP (SP) over alliance with Ajit Pawar, joins Congress

Jagtap had openly opposed the decision of the NCP (SP) to ally with Ajit Pawar’s NCP, asking how he could work with someone who had split the party and joined the right-wing Mahayuti coalition

Mumbai: Former Pune mayor Prashant Jagtap joined the Congress on Wednesday, two days after resigning from the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (SP) over its decision to form an alliance with Ajit Pawar’s NCP for the upcoming civic polls in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.

Mumbai, India. Dec 26, 2025 - Prashant Jagtap, President of the Pune National Congress Party (NCP), Sharad Pawar faction, and former Mayor of Pune, joined the Congress party in the presence of Maharashtra State Congress President Harshwardhan Sakpal, Congress leader Viajay Wadattiwar, and other leaders at Tilak Bhavan in Mumbai, India. Dec 26, 2025. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Raju Shinde)

Jagtap, who was also the Pune chief of the NCP (SP), joined the Congress in the presence of its Maharashtra president, Harshwardhan Sapkal, at the party’s headquarters, Tilak Bhavan. Several office-bearers of the NCP (SP) from Pune also switched over to the Congress along with him.

Jagtap had openly opposed the decision of the NCP (SP) to ally with Ajit Pawar’s NCP, asking how he could work with someone who had split the party and joined the right-wing Mahayuti coalition. Sharad Pawar and his daughter, NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule, tried to convince Jagtap to stay, but he chose to resign.

According to people aware of the developments, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had also extended an offer to Jagtap to join his party, but the latter decided to go with the Congress, which is more ideologically aligned with the NCP (SP).

“It is a battle for ideology,” said Jagtap, following his induction into the Congress. “I have no complaints against my party chief [Sharad Pawar], who gave me opportunities in the NCP. But I cannot work with parties that are helping the RSS and the BJP. I chose to join the Congress because I think it is the only party that can tackle RSS-BJP.”

Welcoming Jagtap, Sapkal said the Congress represents the ideological legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Jyotiba Phule and BR Ambedkar, and is committed to an ideological struggle. “Some political parties today focus only on power and money to win elections. People usually salute the rising sun, but Prashant Jagtap has joined the Congress for ideological reasons,” he added.

Leader of the Congress legislature party, Vijay Wadettiwar, said Jagtap chose not to compromise on his secular principles and quit the NCP (SP). “He also had other offers, but he decided to join the Congress, which is against communal forces in India,” he added.

Jagtap’s induction would come as a boost for the Congress ahead of the civic polls, as it has gained a credible face in Pune, where the party has been in decline for more than a decade.

Meanwhile, senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil expressed disappointment that Jagtap had quit the party. “He should not have left the party. It is a sad decision on his part,” he said.

Polls to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Pune Municipal Corporation, will be held on January 15.