Pune: Political friction is escalating within the Mahayuti alliance as both the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assert their claims on key constituencies in Pimpri-Chinchwad ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
The NCP, under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has laid claim to the Chinchwad Assembly constituency, currently held by a BJP MLA. In response, BJP's city president Shankar Jagtap has countered by staking a claim on the Pimpri constituency, represented by an NCP MLA.
This clash has created a contentious atmosphere within the alliance over the Chinchwad and Pimpri constituencies, two of the city's three key Assembly seats. As all political parties ramp up their preparations for the elections, the stakes in these constituencies have become a focal point of intra-alliance competition.
Ajit Pawar's Jan Sanman Yatra is set to arrive in Pimpri-Chinchwad on Friday, August 16, coinciding with a day-long meeting of BJP's Mandal Presidents in Chinchwad.
The Pimpri Assembly constituency is currently held by Anna Bansode from the Ajit Pawar faction, while Chinchwad is represented by BJP's Ashwini Jagtap, and Bhosari by BJP's Mahesh Landge.
Traditionally, the Mahayuti alliance follows a formula where the party whose MLA holds a seat retains that constituency. However, recent developments in Pimpri-Chinchwad indicate that both parties are contesting this arrangement.
The situation intensified on August 13, when Parth Pawar, Ajit Pawar's son, publicly voiced his desire for both Chinchwad and Pimpri constituencies to be allocated to the NCP. This statement caused unease among BJP aspirants in Chinchwad.
The following day, Shankar Jagtap of BJP responded by emphasizing the contribution of BJP workers in securing a 16,000-vote majority for the alliance's candidate in Pimpri during the Lok Sabha elections.
He stated that BJP expects to retain the Pimpri seat but also expressed willingness to adhere to the final seat-sharing agreement within the alliance.
Adding to the internal discord, BJP city secretary Sachin Kalbhor has called for disciplinary action against Bhosari MLA Mahesh Landge for allegedly not following party protocol. Kalbhor's letter to state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule has sparked further tension, with city president Jagtap acknowledging a lack of coordination within the party when questioned about the issue.