Battle in Pune’s rural belt likely to be fight between two NCPs

PUNE: With the November 20 state assembly elections inching closer, Pune’s rural belt may become a battleground for the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – one led by Sharad Pawar and the other by his nephew and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

Pune district has a total 21 seats –10 (Pune rural), eight (Pune city) and three (Pimpri-Chinchwad), and the upcoming polls will be a litmus test for leaders of the NCP and NCP (SP) as they vie for dominance.

Historically, Pune’s urban areas have leaned towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while the NCP (undivided) has held sway over the rural seats. However, following the recent split in the NCP, most members of legislative assembly (MLAs) from rural Pune, with the exception of Ashok Pawar from Shirur, have sided with Ajit Pawar. In the 2019 elections, the NCP (undivided) won seven rural seats, the Congress secured two, while the BJP won one.

This time, the NCP (SP) is expected to contest eight seats as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which also includes the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP meanwhile is likely to contest eight seats as part of the BJP-led Mahayuti. Notably, the BJP will defend its stronghold in Daund while the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) is expected to field a candidate from the Purandar seat.

NCP (SP) leader and member of Parliament (MP) Amol Kolhe said, “Though some leaders left us, the people and strong leadership is with us. People have shown their will in the Lok Sabha election and now the same will be repeated in the assembly elections.”

Although Ajit Pawar enjoys the support of most of the sitting MLAs, the split within the NCP has caused some internal unrest. A source in the know of local party dynamics noted, “While district leaders are with Ajit Pawar, many of the grassroots’ workers still support Sharad Pawar.”

Kolhe said, “We are getting response from the youth, women and all sections of the society.”

The Baramati assembly constituency, traditionally a Pawar family stronghold, promises to be among the most high-profile contests in Pune district. Speculation is rife that Ajit Pawar may face off against his nephew Yugendra Pawar in a bid for dominance. On his part, Yugendra, who is with his grand-uncle Sharad Pawar after the split in the party and family, has already started reaching out to voters.

NCP leader and MLA Dattatray Bharne said, “Our leader Ajit Pawar works at the ground level. He knows where to play which card. Pune is our home district and the sitting MLAs are with us. We have carried out a lot of development works.”

Other key battles include Indapur, where long-time rivals Datta Bharne and Harshvardhan Patil will face off; and Ambegaon, where Sharad Pawar has reportedly shifted focus to challenge incumbent Dilip Walse-Patil by supporting Bhimashankar Sugar Factory chairman Devdutta Nikam.

Sharad Pawar, alongside members of Parliament (MPs) Supriya Sule and Amol Kolhe, has been actively canvassing in Pune district, holding meetings with local workers and solidifying his base. The upcoming elections in Pune rural will test the influence of the two NCP factions, highlighting the impact of the recent split on local political dynamics.