Pune Polls: Shiv Sena's Dhangekar denies switch to Ajit Pawar's NCP

Shiv Sena's Ravindra Dhangekar denied switching to Ajit Pawar's NCP after a meeting. Meanwhile, the rival NCP factions led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar announced an alliance for the upcoming Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic polls.

Shiv Sena Leader Ravindra Dhangekar denied the claims of switching to Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) following a meeting with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Pawar ahead of Pune civic polls. Dhangekar met Ajit Pawar amid speculations of him switching parties. When asked about a ticket snub for his son, he denied switching parties and said, "Dhanush-Baan" (bow and arrow), referring to the Shiv Sena's election symbol.

Addressing the question of an alliance with the NCP, he told reporters that Deputy CM Eknath Shinde would decide. "Party workers wanted to meet Ajit Pawar. There was no discussion about any alliance. Eknath Shinde will do the Alliance discussion. He will decide it," he said.

NCP Factions Join Hands for Pune Civic Polls

Meanwhile, after Pimpri-Chinchwad, the uncle-nephew duo of Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar have joined hands for the Pune civic polls, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar announced on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Rohit Pawar said that both parties will contest on their respective symbols. Interestingly, he said that NCP-SCP patriarch Sharad Pawar was not involved in the decision-making process for the alliance, and MP Supriya Sule held a meeting with party workers in Pune.

Rohit Pawar said, "After speaking with all the party workers, Supriya Sule herself also interacted with the workers from Pune. Subsequently, discussions were held with workers from Pimpri-Chinchwad. This is a fight of the workers and their election. Therefore, after listening to their views and understanding their concerns, it was decided that both NCP factions will contest the polls together in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. However, both parties will contest on their respective symbols."

"This decision has been taken only for Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, and that too after listening to the local workers and with their consent. Pawar Saheb is not involved in this entire decision-making process. Such senior leaders have never directly participated in municipal corporation elections. He only said that the views of those who fought for us should be heard and understood, and that decisions should be made in accordance with what the workers decide. Therefore, this alliance has been formed in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad," he added.

PMC Polls Nomination Update

On Monday, 694 nomination papers were filed in a single day for the forthcoming PMC polls, election officials said. With this, the total number of nominations filed till Monday reached 743 across 15 Returning Officer offices in the city.

PMC will undergo polling for local body elections along with 28 other municipal corporations on January 15, with counting of votes on January 16.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)