Pune Civic Polls: Pawars Challenge BJP Dominance; Key Results Expected Today

• Voting is underway for Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections, along with 28 other Maharashtra civic bodies.
• These are the first local body elections in Maharashtra in nearly nine years, with results for all 30 civic bodies to be declared on January 16.
• PMC has 1,165 candidates contesting for 165 seats across 41 wards, while PCMC has 128 seats across 32 wards.
• In 2017, BJP secured a clear majority in PMC with 97 seats, followed by NCP with 39 seats.
• The reunited NCP factions (NCP and NCP Sharad Pawar) are challenging BJP, making it a crucial test for Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

Why It Matters: Maharashtra's civic poll results, especially in Pune, will test BJP's dominance against a reunited NCP.