The Mahayuti (BJP-Shiv Sena alliance) on Friday swept the 2026 Maharashtra civic polls. BJP’s victory has ended Thackerays’ long grip over the civic body and also hit the NCP’s position in its strongholds.
The united NCP’s experiment in Pune and neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad failed to make an impact, questioning the party’s relevance, strategy and future. Neither the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) nor the Ajit Pawar-led NCP managed to secure a clear majority in the municipal corporation. As a political experiment, they had joined hands to contest the elections for the first time since the split in 2023.
Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad were once NCP strongholds. But now, the BJP is set to retain control of the civic bodies for a second consecutive term. Political experts opine that the BJP managing to retain its power shows the shifting political dynamics in the urban areas.
The NCP (SP) failed to open its account across 24 civic bodies. Despite being a part of the ruling Mahayuti, Ajit Pawar’s NCP failed to make any significant gains.
The NCP’s political experiment failed as it was out of compulsion rather than reconciliation. Reportedly, though there was a seat coordination, limited joint campaigning, a lack of clarity in communication and division among party workers hurt the party’s campaign in the civic polls.
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For Ajit Pawar, who had joined the BJP-led government in 2023, the civic polls marked a sharp political shift. The political equation shifted for Ajit when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the BJP would contest independently in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
While campaigning too, Ajit Pawar openly raised corruption allegations against the BJP in Pimpri-Chinchwad’s civic administration. It also affected his position within the Mahayuti alliance, as the BJP state president Ravindra Chavan said, the party “regretted taking Ajit Pawar along.”
However, the BJP’s campaign focused on stronger booth-level management, clarity in communication and a sustained organisational presence built over the years.
The civic polls results in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad send a clear message that unity alone is not going to be enough for Pawars to make an impact.
With the Zilla Parishad elections expected later this month, it would be a litmus test for the Pawars' existence. The road ahead for Sharad Pawar involves strengthening his grassroots organisation and refining his message to appeal to a changing urban voter base.