Hopes of a united Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) front for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections were dashed on Friday after seat-sharing talks between the Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions collapsed. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) reportedly walked out of the discussions, accusing Ajit Pawar’s camp of offering an “insignificant” share of seats.

According to sources familiar with the meeting, Ajit Pawar’s faction had proposed allocating around 35 seats to Sharad Pawar’s group under the official NCP clock symbol, a suggestion flatly rejected by the senior Pawar’s team. The disagreement effectively ended negotiations, leaving both groups to chart independent political strategies ahead of the January civic polls.

The breakdown highlights the deep-rooted tension that continues to divide the NCP since its formal split in 2023. While Ajit Pawar aligned with the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde) government earlier this year, Sharad Pawar retained support from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance — comprising Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction. Soon after walking out of the talks, Sharad Pawar called a meeting with MVA leaders at a hotel in Pune. Senior figures from the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), including former lawmakers and city leaders, attended the discussions to explore a joint strategy for the PMC elections.

The development has reinvigorated MVA efforts to present a united opposition platform against the ruling Mahayuti alliance in urban Maharashtra. Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena (UBT) recently joined forces with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls — a sign of opposition parties strengthening coordination in key civic bodies.

The PMC elections are among Maharashtra’s most crucial local contests, given the civic body’s large budget and influence over urban infrastructure, transport, and water projects. A divided NCP could benefit the BJP, which has already consolidated its hold in several wards with the help of recent defections from both Pawar factions.

With nomination deadlines approaching, both camps are expected to intensify efforts to finalize alliances. While Ajit Pawar’s camp appears firm on maintaining the NCP’s original symbol and organizational claim, Sharad Pawar’s group is likely to contest jointly with MVA partners under a different banner. The collapse of unity talks has once again underscored the widening ideological and personal gap between uncle and nephew. Political observers believe this split could shape not only Pune’s civic elections but also influence the larger political equation in Maharashtra ahead of the 2029 Assembly polls.