Straight fight expected between Maha Yuti, MVA in Pune and PCMC
Ahead of Pune elections, MVA parties, including Congress, seek to ally with Ajit Pawar's NCP to challenge BJP, but face internal resistance within NCP.
PUNE
Ahead of the Pune Municipal Corporation elections, parties in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), including the Congress, have expressed willingness to bring the Ajit Pawar-led NCP into the alliance to ensure a direct contest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, the move faces resistance from within the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, particularly from city unit chief Prashant Jagtap.
With the Mahayuti partners, the BJP and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, deciding to contest the civic polls separately, MVA leaders say a multi-cornered fight would only benefit the BJP. Efforts, they add, should focus on keeping the contest bipolar.
Congress city unit president Arvind Shinde said the party would contest the polls as part of the MVA and was open to accommodating any group opposing the BJP. “We will contest as Maha Vikas Aghadi. Our stand is clear: anyone fighting the BJP can be included in the MVA,” Shinde said.
He added that the Congress had no objection if Ajit Pawar’s NCP joined the alliance.
“Both chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and the NCP have said they will contest against each other. If Ajit Pawar’s NCP is opposing the BJP, we are ready to include them,” he said.
NCP city unit president Sunil Tingre stated that local leaders and workers are in favour of coordination between the two NCP factions, although the final decision rests with the senior leadership.
“At the local level, there is a willingness to work together, but the decision will be taken by senior leaders. We should wait for a few days,” Tingre said.
A senior NCP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, stressed that an alliance with the MVA was crucial to gaining power in the civic body. “If we want to form the civic body, we cannot do it alone. Similar arrangements in municipal council elections were accepted by voters,” the leader said.
However, resistance remains within the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. City unit chief Prashant Jagtap said he opposed any alliance involving the Ajit Pawar faction. “Even if the BJP and NCP say they will contest separately, that is their strategy. My position is clear, we will not form an alliance,” Jagtap said.
The differing stands within the opposition are expected to be resolved in the coming days as senior leaders finalise their strategy for the PMC polls.
