Overview
- We cannot join hands with those who have joined hands with BJP, Sharad Pawar told party workers on June 17 in Pimpri Chinchwad, ruling out any alliance with the Ajit Pawar–led NCP faction linked to the BJP.
- He accused leaders who aligned with the BJP of ‘opportunistic politics’ and insisted his party would only work with those upholding the legacies of Gandhi, Phule, Ambedkar and Shahu.
- Speculation over a reunion had intensified after multiple public meetings and reported closed-door talks between Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar in Pune.
- On the same day, about 20 former corporators, including Ajit Gavhane, formally joined the Ajit Pawar faction, underscoring the deepening split within the NCP.
- NCP (SP) reaffirmed its grassroots focus by announcing plans to contest all seats in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation ahead of upcoming local body elections.