The political landscape in Pimpri Chinchwad witnessed a dramatic upheaval on Monday as constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition accused the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), or NCP (SP), of a significant betrayal. The charge stems from NCP (SP)'s last-minute decision to forge an alliance with Ajit Pawar's NCP faction, which is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, for the upcoming civic elections.
A Last-Minute Switch Sparks Accusations
Former MLA and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Gautam Chabukswar, who played a central role in facilitating MVA meetings in the region, expressed deep disappointment. He revealed that extensive talks, including a concrete seat-sharing arrangement, had been successfully concluded among the MVA partners. Only the official announcement was pending when the surprise move occurred.
"We have been betrayed by NCP (SP)," Chabukswar stated. He explained that within the MVA framework, NCP (SP) had been allocated 35 seats for the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) polls. This allocation was rendered void when the party chose to align with Ajit Pawar's group instead.
MVA Scrambles to Form New Alliance
In response to this political shift, the remaining MVA partners have swiftly reconfigured their strategy. Chabukswar announced that his party, Shiv Sena (UBT), will now contest the elections in an alliance with the Congress, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and Mahadev Jankar's Rashtriya Samaj Paksha.
The seat-sharing formula among these four parties has been finalized. Crucially, the 35 seats originally earmarked for NCP (SP) will now be redistributed among the new alliance members. This redistribution will be based on each party's respective strength and influence in the various electoral wards of Pimpri Chinchwad.
The Trigger: Ajit Pawar's Rally Announcement
The turning point came on Sunday evening during an election rally. Ajit Pawar publicly declared that the two NCP factions—his own and the NCP (SP)—would contest the PCMC polls together, with a seat-sharing formula to be released soon.
This announcement caught local MVA leaders off guard, as NCP (SP) representatives had actively participated in all MVA meetings until that moment. The MVA's Pimpri Chinchwad unit had initially extended a proposal to NCP (SP) to form a united front against the BJP, anticipating a direct contest as the two Mahayuti partners (BJP and Shiv Sena) are yet to finalize their own seat-sharing deal.
The sudden realignment has thrown the electoral equations wide open, setting the stage for a fiercely contested civic battle with newly drawn battle lines.
