In a significant political development ahead of the crucial Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, the much-anticipated alliance talks between the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) have collapsed. The negotiations reportedly hit a dead-end over the contentious issue of the party symbol, pushing the Pawar faction back into the arms of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Symbolic Stalemate Sinks Alliance Hopes
The core disagreement that led to the breakdown was the NCP's insistence that candidates from the NCP (SP) contest the civic polls using the NCP's official 'clock' election symbol. The Sharad Pawar camp refused this condition outright, asserting its distinct and separate political identity. Supriya Sule, the working president of NCP (SP), confirmed the collapse of discussions in a statement to The Indian Express on Saturday, December 28, 2025.
"Yes, our alliance discussion with the NCP has broken down. There will be no alliance," Sule stated unequivocally. This formal confirmation puts an end to weeks of speculation about a potential reunion of the two factions for the high-stakes urban local body polls.
NCP (SP) Reverts to MVA, Seat-Sharing Talks Resume
Following the failed talks with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, the Sharad Pawar group has swiftly moved to reconsolidate its position within the opposition MVA coalition. Leaders from the Congress, NCP (SP), and Shiv Sena (UBT) convened for seat-sharing discussions at a hotel in Pune on Friday evening.
NCP (SP) spokesperson Ankush Kakade clarified the party's consistent stance, noting, "We had not declared plans of contesting PMC elections with NCP." He explained that the NCP had approached them, but the NCP (SP) had always intended to fight the polls alongside its MVA partners—the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT). Kakade also revealed that an earlier meeting with NCP chief Ajit Pawar on seat-sharing had faltered after the NCP offered a negligible number of seats, which was unacceptable to the NCP (SP).
Pune city Congress president Arvind Shinde indicated that the MVA discussions are now actively underway. He outlined a proposed formula for the 165-seat PMC, suggesting that each of the three MVA constituents would contest a similar number of seats, ranging between 50 and 55. Shinde also dismissed speculation about the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) joining the MVA talks.
Contradictory Claims and Future Implications
While the NCP (SP) has declared the alliance talks definitively over, NCP state president Sunil Tatkare presented a contrasting picture. Tatkare claimed that discussions were still ongoing and were being personally handled by party president Ajit Pawar, who has managed Pune city affairs since 1999.
This breakdown has significant ramifications for the political landscape of Pune. It solidifies the battle lines for the PMC polls, with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP remaining within the ruling Mahayuti alliance (with BJP and others), while the Sharad Pawar faction reinforces its commitment to the opposition MVA. The failure to unite increases the likelihood of a multi-cornered contest, potentially splitting votes and making the electoral outcome more unpredictable. The focus now shifts to the finalization of seat-sharing agreements within the MVA and the strategies each party will adopt to woo Pune's electorate.
