Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 24: Ajit Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a key constituent of Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance, is expected to launch an independent campaign for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections scheduled for January 15.

Ajit Pawar and senior party leader Sunil Tatkare are slated to address party workers on Wednesday evening at Anushaktinagar, the constituency represented by Sana Malik, daughter of senior NCP leader Nawab Malik. The meeting is expected to formally signal the party’s decision to contest the civic polls independently.

The move comes amid sharp differences within the Mahayuti, which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, over the appointment of Nawab Malik as the NCP’s Mumbai in-charge for the BMC elections. The BJP has openly objected to Malik’s role, citing allegations linking him to property transactions connected to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Malik was arrested in 2022 on money-laundering charges and is currently out on bail on health grounds. BJP leaders have repeatedly expressed discomfort in sharing a platform with him. BJP Maharashtra president Ameet Satam recently stated that his party would not associate with the NCP in Mumbai if Malik continued to lead the campaign.

However, Tatkare has made it clear that the NCP will not bow to pressure from alliance partners. He had earlier asserted that the party’s internal decisions would not be dictated by external forces, despite repeated objections from BJP leaders.

Beyond ideological differences, electoral calculations are also believed to be influencing the strategy. In the 2017 BMC elections, seven of the NCP’s nine corporators were elected from Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, areas with significant Muslim and Dalit populations where Nawab Malik continues to wield influence. BJP leaders fear that a formal alliance in the civic polls could alienate this voter base due to the party’s core support and campaign positioning.

From the BJP’s standpoint, an independent NCP campaign could work to its advantage. If the NCP performs well, its numbers could bolster the Mahayuti strength after the polls. If it performs poorly, it could still split minority votes, potentially weakening the Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

Ajit Pawar’s possible solo run in the BMC elections adds another layer to Maharashtra’s already complex political landscape. Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray reportedly ended their two-decade-long rift, fuelling fresh political speculation.

At the same time, reports continue to surface about a possible temporary re-alignment between Ajit Pawar and his uncle, NCP founder Sharad Pawar, from whom he split in 2023 to join hands with the BJP. That split had led to the collapse of the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state.

However, NCP working president Supriya Sule has indicated that any such reunion, if it happens at all, would be limited to local body elections such as Pune and would depend on the confidence of Sharad Pawar’s supporters.