Ajit Pawar’s ‘family reunion’ gambit fails in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad

 

 

DESPITE forging an alliance with the faction led by his uncle, NCP chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday failed to protect the party’s traditional bastions of Pune and neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad, as the BJP decimated both the NCPs in the Municipal Corporation elections. During the campaign, Ajit Pawar launched a frontal attack on his State-level ally BJP, targeting the party’s local leadership for `derailed’ development and corruption in the two civic bodies over the past nine years.

 

The Nationalist Congress Party’s reduced strength in Pune is expected to considerably diminish Ajit Pawar’s clout within the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the State. Seeking to stop the BJP which threatened his dominance in the region, he joined hands with the NCP (SP), more than two years after parting ways with uncle Sharad Pawar and splitting the party. In Pune, Ajit Pawar was seen taking on Union Minister and the city’s BJP MP Murlidhar Mohol. In Pimpri-Chinchwad, he targeted local BJP MLA Mahesh Landge, alleging massive corruption the civic body. Public’s mandate is supreme: Ajit Pawar accepts defeat: FOLLOWING the near-clear results of the 29 Municipal Corporation elections in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar has officially conceded defeat in several key urban centres. Taking to his official X handle, he stated that he accepts the public’s verdict with “full respect”. “The public’s mandate is supreme, and we accept it with complete respect.

 

I heartily congratulate all the winning candidates and wish them success in their upcoming terms,” said DCM Pawar. Addressing the party’s failure to meet expectations, he added: “In this local body election, where we did not achieve the expected success, I assure you that we will work with more responsibility, honesty and double the vigour to regain the public’s trust.” He urged the winning candidates to prioritise public issues and accelerate development work.