Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday announced a local-level reconciliation within the Nationalist Congress Party, confirming an alliance between his faction and the NCP (SP) led by his uncle Sharad Pawar for the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections.
Framing it as a practical decision for the civic polls, Pawar said the divide within the family had been set aside for now.
“For the sake of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections, the 'clock' and the 'tutari' (trumpet) have united. The parivar has come together,” he said while campaigning in Pimpri-Chinchwad ahead of the January 15 polls.
He also asked party workers to focus on campaigning and avoid remarks that could create controversy during rallies.
Positioning the alliance as one focused on governance, Pawar said, “We are the ones who work for development. We will edge out those who tried to put this municipal corporation in debt.”
While the tie-up has been confirmed for Pimpri-Chinchwad, discussions are still on between the two factions for a similar arrangement in the Pune Municipal Corporation.
Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC said on Monday, "Anyone can come together, brothers or family, but politics of just surnames will not work here, only politics of performance will matter. In Maharashtra, voters are wise; they can clearly see who is driven by the lure of power and who genuinely wants to work."
On Sunday, members of the Pawar family were seen together in Baramati, where industrialist Gautam Adani inaugurated the Sharadchandra Pawar Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence.
Maharashtra will go to the polls for 29 municipal corporations, including Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune, on January 15, with counting scheduled for the following day. The last date for filing nominations is December 30.