NCP rivals close ranks for Pune polls

The bitterly divided Nationalist Congress Party factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar on Saturday put up a show of unity by releasing a joint manifesto for the Pune Municipal Corporation elections, pitching a common development agenda even as questions swirled over the real intent behind the unlikely alliance.

Projecting civic governance as the unifying factor, the two factions promised sweeping reforms to tackle Pune’s chronic traffic congestion, strained healthcare system, water scarcity and costly public transport. The manifesto marks the first formal coming together of the rival NCP groups for a major civic poll since their dramatic split in July 2023.

At the heart of the document is an aggressive traffic decongestion plan. The alliance has pledged to complete 33 missing road links across the city, widen arterial roads and streamline traffic movement. Stressing that Pune is choking under the weight of nearly 30 lakh vehicles, the leaders claimed that traffic jams are burning fuel and productive hours worth nearly Rs 750 crore every year. They argued that strengthening public transport is not just a convenience issue, but an economic necessity.

Drawing inspiration from European cities, the manifesto proposes free travel on buses and the Metro to push citizens away from private vehicles. The focus, the leaders said, would be on last-mile connectivity to ensure that public transport becomes a viable daily option rather than a last resort.

Healthcare features prominently in the promises, with the alliance committing to build hospitals within a 2-km radius so that basic medical care is easily accessible across neighbourhoods. Plans for a dedicated cancer hospital and a specialised burns ward have also been outlined as part of a broader push to upgrade civic health infrastructure.

On housing and sustainability, the manifesto offers incentives rather than penalties. Housing societies adopting eco-friendly practices would be eligible for a 20 per cent rebate on property tax along with a ‘Green Society’ certification. Solar power installations in societies have been proposed to cut electricity bills and promote clean energy use.

Water scarcity, a persistent sore point for Pune residents, was acknowledged bluntly. The leaders admitted that even central parts of the city are dependent on tanker water, calling it a sign of deep-rooted mismanagement. The manifesto promises improvements in water supply, sewage treatment and distribution networks.

However, the joint pitch triggered sharp political reactions. Congress leader and Maharashtra Legislature Party head Vijay Wadettiwar said the shared manifesto effectively meant the two NCP factions had already come together, but questioned whether the move was driven by ideology or sheer hunger for power.

He suggested that the sudden proximity had more to do with positions and authority than concern for party workers or principles. Referring to speculation about possible inductions of NCP (SP) leaders into the Maharashtra Cabinet and even the Union government, Wadettiwar said the timing of the “reunion” raised serious doubts.

The Congress leader accused the NCP of having a long history of shifting stands to remain close to power, claiming the party struggles to survive outside government. In contrast, he asserted that the Congress was fighting to protect constitutional values and democracy, not ministerial posts.

Expanding his attack, Wadettiwar described recent political churn in Maharashtra’s local bodies as opportunistic arrangements masked as ideological fights. Alliances during elections, he said, were temporary, while real power-sharing happened quietly later.

Mocking reports of police being asked to caution rebels within the BJP, Wadettiwar said the ruling party’s authority had weakened to the point where it needed law enforcement to manage internal dissent.