Pune Political Tensions Escalate as Ajit Pawar and Fadnavis Clash Over Regional Control

Pune, Jan 2026 : The political atmosphere in Pune has intensified into a high-stakes confrontation between allies, as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clash over regional dominance. Recent developments suggest that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is unwilling to cede control of Deputy Chief Minister Pawar’s traditional stronghold, leading to repeated public disagreements and policy conflicts. The friction arises from Pawar’s desire to maintain full authority over Pune’s administration, a move the BJP has consistently opposed. Proposals ranging from splitting the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) into multiple units to offering free bus travel have been promptly rejected by Fadnavis.

With the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporation elections approaching, the BJP and Pawar-led NCP faction have come into direct confrontation. Within the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Pawar’s NCP faction rarely contest elections together outside Kolhapur. While Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has avoided direct criticism of the BJP, Deputy Chief Minister Pawar has adopted a more aggressive posture, openly accusing the BJP administration in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad of corruption.

The conflict reached its peak during the final stages of the election campaign. Following Pawar’s corruption allegations, top BJP leaders, including state party president Ravindra Chavan and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, issued sharp rebukes. The verbal sparring between Fadnavis and Pawar has become increasingly personal. Fadnavis took a dig at Pawar, saying, “Some people have suddenly found their voice.” Pawar responded that he had “found his voice” because elections were finally being held after a nine-year delay. Fadnavis also mocked Pawar’s election promise of free bus and metro travel, sarcastically remarking, “I was thinking of promising a 50 percent discount to women on flights departing from Pune… It costs nothing to make such promises.”

The Chief Minister further criticized Pawar for violating the “gentleman’s agreement” within Mahayuti, which stipulated that alliance partners should not attack each other during separate electoral contests. Analysts note that the underlying cause of the rift is the BJP’s ambition to expand its influence in western Maharashtra, a region where the party has traditionally faced limitations.

As the elections approach, the internal conflict highlights a deeper struggle for Pune’s political future, exposing the fragile cohesion of the Mahayuti alliance. With both leaders staking claims over administrative control and political narrative, the tension between Fadnavis and Pawar could significantly influence the outcome of one of Maharashtra’s most pivotal municipal elections, leaving the alliance in a delicate position in the state’s second-largest city.