Pune municipal polls: NCP(SP) aligning with Ajit Pawars would be like joining hands with BJP, says Sanjay Raut

The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) [NCP(SP)] forging an alliance with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP for the Pune Municipal Corporation polls would be akin to joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on Thursday (December 18, 2025).

Talking to reporters, Mr. Raut said he will meet NCP(SP) president Sharad Pawar and hold discussions on various issues, including any understanding between the two rival factions for the Pune civic body polls.

“Having an alliance with Ajit Pawar would be akin to joining hands with the BJP. Ajit Pawar is an agent of the BJP, and any truck with him will mean strengthening the BJP,” Mr. Raut said in response to a question. The NCP and NCP(SP) have held talks about joining hands for the Pune Municipal Corporation elections.

Earlier this week, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said the BJP and the NCP won’t have an alliance in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations, and there will be a friendly fight between the two Mahayuti allies.

Besides the BJP and the NCP, the ruling Mahayuti also has the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, as a constituent.

Mr. Raut said Mr. Pawar is positive about Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena (UBT) and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena coming together for the civic body polls. He said the NCP(SP) will ally with the Sena (UBT) and MNS in Nashik and Thane.

Mr. Raut further claimed that Shiv Sena’s “budget” for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls was about ₹10,000 crore and that the party would give ₹10 crore to each candidate, but did not provide any details to back the claim.

Elections to the 29 municipal corporations in the State will take place on January 15, 2026 and the counting will be held a day later.