New Delhi, Jan 10: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar and NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule shared the political stage on Saturday for the first time since the party split in June 2023, jointly releasing a manifesto aimed at creating an inclusive and developed Pune.
The move marks a “truce for Pune,” signalling a temporary reconciliation between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ahead of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections.
Ajit Pawar stated that “friction within the family has been resolved” for the sake of the city’s development, while Supriya Sule clarified that the alliance is limited to these civic polls. Party leaders noted that the objective is to consolidate their traditional stronghold and prevent a split of votes that could benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which seeks a second consecutive term in the civic body.
The manifesto highlights key urban development promises, including accelerating Pune Metro expansion, improving public transport, reducing traffic congestion with new flyovers, and expanding the PMPML bus fleet with 100 per cent electric vehicles. The plan also includes 24/7 water supply for merged villages, modernised drainage systems, new sewage treatment plants (STPs) to rejuvenate the Mula-Mutha river, and high-quality cement concrete roads to eliminate the “pothole culture.”
‘Green Pune’ initiatives feature prominently, with a focus on hill preservation, river rejuvenation, and the establishment of dedicated skill development centres, or ‘Pune Skill Hubs,’ for local youth. Financial support for women led self help groups and digitisation of municipal services for ‘Zero Touch’ governance are also included in the manifesto.
While the cousins’ joint appearance sends a strong message of unity to party cadres, the factions remain separate at state and national levels. Some local leaders, including former NCP (SP) city unit chief Prashant Jagtap, initially expressed dissent over the alliance, but the top leadership has moved ahead to safeguard the “Pawar bastion.”
“This decision is in the interest of Pune’s development. We may have different paths at other levels, but for our home ground, we are united,” said a senior party official during the manifesto launch.