The Sharad Pawar–Ajit Pawar alliance has struggled to make an impact, with the BJP opening up a decisive lead in both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Early trends show the BJP dominating ward-wise results, while both NCP factions and their allies trail well behind.
Despite high political stakes, voter turnout remained modest, underlining urban apathy in a closely watched civic battle.
The much-hyped reunion between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar in their bastions of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad appears to have fallen flat, with the BJP surging ahead in both civic contests.
Early trends from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) show the BJP leading in 48 wards. Ajit Pawar’s NCP is ahead in just five wards, while Sharad Pawar’s faction leads in two. Congress is marginally ahead in five wards and has aligned with the Thackeray camp, which has failed to register a lead anywhere so far.
In neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad, the BJP has taken the lead in 65 wards, outpacing the combined Pawar alliance, which is ahead in 40.
Vote counting is underway not only in Pune but also across 28 other municipal corporations in Maharashtra. Initial figures had already placed the BJP comfortably ahead in Pune, leading in over 50 seats, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP trailed far behind.
Polling took place on Thursday, January 15, across key urban centres including Mumbai, Nagpur, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nashik and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The Pune region has drawn particular attention, as this marks the first electoral collaboration between the two NCP factions since their split in 2023. The reunited Pawars joined forces to challenge the BJP in the municipal polls.
Pune follows a multi-member ward system, where each of its 41 wards elects four corporators, taking the civic body’s strength to 162 members. Voters therefore cast multiple votes. Minor technical glitches were reported in a handful of electronic voting machines during polling, but officials said replacements were made promptly.
Voter participation, however, remained subdued. The State Election Commission reported a turnout of around 54 per cent in Pune. Across all 29 municipal corporations, voting stood at 41.13 per cent by mid-afternoon, with final figures expected to settle between 46 and 50 per cent.
The 2026 PMC elections saw 1,165 candidates contesting 165 seats. Just over a third of eligible voters turned out to decide their fate.
In contrast, the previous PMC election in 2017 recorded a turnout of 55.45 per cent. That election had delivered a decisive mandate for the BJP, which won 97 seats. The NCP secured 39, Shiv Sena 10 and Congress nine. Smaller parties and independents shared the remaining seats. BJP’s Mukta Tilak was elected mayor, with Navnath Kamble as her deputy.