Pune: NCP Factions Unite, MVA Fractures; Thackeray-Congress Form Alliance

• Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions unite for Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal elections.
• This alliance causes a split in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Pune.
• Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction and Congress form a separate alliance.
• Pune municipal elections will now feature a three-way contest.
• Rohit Pawar states the NCP alliance is local, not a statewide merger, despite past rivalry.

Why It Matters: Pune's political landscape shifts dramatically as NCP factions unite, splitting MVA and setting up a three-way electoral battle.