Ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra civic body polls on January 15, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar revealed that the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have resolved their differences and the workers want to unite for the civic body polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Pointing out it was not premeditated, Pawar said local party workers felt that contesting together would be beneficial. “That is how the alliance was formed,” he told PTI.
"The workers of both parties want to unite. The two NCPs are together now. All tensions in our family have ended," Ajit Pawar was quoted as saying by NDTV.
Will NCP factions merge?
However, while talking to PTI, Pawar spurned rumours about a potential merger between his party and the NCP (SP) led by his uncle Sharad Pawar. He said such discussions existed only in the media. “Right now, we are focused only on winning maximum seats,” he added.
said that political parties have abandoned their ideologies and there is a shift towards "vendetta politics". He slammed the local BJP leadership in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad for fighting NCP in the civic elections despite being allies.
He claimed some leaders are being poached through inducements, while others are pressured over pending inquiries, promising them that investigative agencies would be managed after they switch allegiance.
"Those who have money and muscle power are using it. Those who feel that votes can be sought by raking up caste issues are adopting that tactic," Pawar said.
In the light of criticism that he is targeting the BJP despite sharing power with it at the Centre and in the state, Pawar said local body elections are fought on civic issues.
"National and state elections are different. Voters know with whom the country and the state should be entrusted. Civic elections are about local problems, and we are raising issues faced by citizens in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad," he said.
