PCMC polls: BJP, NCP set for a straight fight in 44 seats as alliances fail to take shape

Even as parties owing allegiance to the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the Mahayuti have failed to form alliances for the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections, it has emerged that in as many as 44 seats there will be a direct contest between candidates of the BJP and the NCP, underlining the intense battle between the two parties to capture power in the civic body.

The PCMC has 32 prabhags, from which 128 corporators will be elected. Each prabhag elects four corporators, with political parties fielding panels of four candidates. The candidates in each panel represent different categories : general, OBC, SC and ST.

In all, 692 candidates are in the fray for the PCMC polls 2026. As many as 443 candidates across parties withdrew their nominations by the last date of withdrawal. Two BJP candidates, Ravi Landge and Supriya Chandgude, have been elected unopposed.

The 44 seats where the BJP and NCP will be locked in a direct fight are 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2D, 3B, 3C, 4B, 4C, 5A, 5B, 6C, 7B, 7C, 7D, 8B, 10C, 12B, 15B, 15C, 19C, 21B, 21D, 24A, 24C, 24D, 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D, 27B, 27D, 28A, 28A, 28D, 29A, 29B, 29C and 29D.

In as many as 23 seats, there will be a three-cornered contest between the BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP. These include 1D, 2C, 4D, 5C, 11D, 12C, 12D, 14C, 14D, 16B, 16C, 18D, 19A, 21A, 22A, 23B, 23C, 25B, 25D, 27A, 28C, 30B, 31A, 31B, 31C, 32A and 32C.

In 35 seats, a four-cornered contest will be witnessed between the BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress. These seats are 1A, 2A, 4A, 5D, 6A, 9D, 10A, 11C, 13B, 13C, 14A, 14B, 15A, 15D, 16A, 16D, 32B, 32D, 17A, 18B, 18C, 19B, 19D, 20B, 20C, 20D, 22C, 22D, 23D, 25A, 25C, 27C, 30A, 30C and 30D.

Several other seats will witness multi-cornered contests, including 8A, 8B, 8D, 9A, 9B, 10D, 11A, 11B, 12A, 13A, 13D, 17B, 17C, 17D, 20A, 22B and 23A.

“It is true that this election is mainly between the BJP and the NCP. There will be a direct fight between the BJP and the NCP. But we are confident that we will outdo the NCP,” said BJP Pimpri-Chinchwad unit president Shratrughan Kate.

NCP Pimpri-Chinchwad leader Yogesh Behl said, “The Shiv Sena tried to form an alliance with the BJP but both failed to join hands. In two-three seats, the Shiv Sena has joined hands with us. In these seats, the Sena and NCP will take on the BJP. Otherwise, in most seats there will be a direct fight between BJP and NCP candidates.”

The BJP was in power in PCMC from 2017 to 2022. In the 2017 elections, the party had secured a landslide victory with 78 corporators in the 128-member House, dethroning the NCP, which had ruled the civic body for 25 years. The NCP is now seeking to oust the BJP from power.

Last week, NCP national president Ajit Pawar had slammed the BJP’s 2017–2022 tenure, alleging large-scale corruption and signalling the party’s aggressive bid to regain control of the civic body. “Be it a direct fight or a multi-cornered contest, we are confident of defeating BJP candidates,” Behl said.

NCP leader Ajit Gavhane, who has opted out of the race to lead the party’s campaign, said, “The BJP is claiming that it will romp home by winning all the seats. They can claim anything. But the ground reality is different. The atmosphere has changed in our favour. People are fed up with BJP rule. They want a change. They know only Ajitdada can bring the change like he did during NCP rule for 25 years.”