Ajit Pawar, Devendra Fadnavis Clash Ahead of Maharashtra Civic Polls Over Governance, Freebies

Cracks within Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance have surfaced ahead of crucial civic elections, with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sparring over governance, corruption allegations, and poll promises.

The latest clash came on Sunday after Pawar responded to Fadnavis’ remarks during the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) campaign, insisting his comments were about governance failures, not personal attacks.

“I am not criticising the BJP. I am only highlighting mistakes in the PCMC. Pointing out mistakes is not criticism,” Pawar said at a press briefing in Pimpri after unveiling the joint manifesto of his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Sharad Pawar-led SP-NCP alliance. He noted that his criticism had intensified because civic elections were being held after nearly nine years.

A day earlier, Fadnavis had taken a veiled dig at Pawar, saying some leaders only become vocal when elections approach.

Ajit Pawar’s Jabs at Pune Civic Body

Pawar accused the BJP of corruption and misgovernance during its control of the PCMC from 2017 to 2022, claiming none of the 27 promises made by the party were fulfilled.

He demanded probes into alleged irregularities in slum rehabilitation authority (SRA) projects in Ravet and Bhosari and questioned the beneficiaries of transferable development rights under the schemes. He also highlighted cost escalations in infrastructure, citing a bridge project that ballooned from ₹70 lakh to ₹7 crore.

Announcing his alliance’s poll plank, Pawar promised property tax waivers for houses up to 500 sq ft from April 1, 2026, scrapping of the draft development plan, daily water supply, free bus and metro travel, better roads, pollution control, modern healthcare, model schools, free tablets for students, and interest-free loans up to ₹5 lakh for women completing skill training.

Fadnavis Hits Back: ‘Ajit Dada Talks, I Work’

From Pune, Fadnavis responded sharply during an interaction with Marathi actor Girija Oak, saying, “Ajit dada talks, I work.” He emphasized that his government prioritizes performance over rhetoric.

Despite being part of the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP are contesting the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic polls separately. Fadnavis noted that both sides had earlier agreed to a “friendly” contest without personal attacks. “I have maintained restraint, but they seem to have lost patience,” he said.

He also criticized the alliance’s promise of free metro travel, noting that metro fares are fixed by a statutory Fare Fixation Committee involving the Centre and the state. “Even if I want to waive fares, I cannot do it. You have to say who will bear the cost,” Fadnavis added. Sarcastically, he suggested he could announce free air travel for women in Pune, highlighting what he called “unrealistic” poll promises.

Fadnavis also targeted Pawar’s party over candidates with criminal backgrounds, warning that even if elected, “their place will be in jail, not in the municipal corporation office.” He contrasted BJP-led development projects, including housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, with what he called poor-quality construction under previous NCP administrations.

High-Stakes Civic Battle

The exchanges come as Maharashtra heads into a crucial civic election cycle. Polls for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and 28 other municipal corporations, including Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, will be held on January 15, with counting on January 16. A total of 2,869 seats are at stake, with over 3.48 crore voters eligible.

The BMC election is particularly significant as it is the first since the 2022 split in Shiv Sena and will determine control of the country’s richest civic body. The polls are also taking place amid a “vote chori” controversy, with opposition parties alleging bogus and duplicate entries in electoral rolls.

With alliances fraying and rhetoric intensifying, the war of words between Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis is expected to escalate as Maharashtra’s civic battle enters its final stretch.