Gadhi and Tutari together, uncle and nephew will contest the corporation elections of Pimpri-Chinchwad; Will Pawar family be able to win the trust of the public?

In politics, broken relationships often come together due to electoral compulsions, but when the same family announces to come together again after two years, then it is not just about seats and equations. When the slogan of “Parivar Phir Saath Hai” was echoed in a rally in Pimpri-Chinchwad, hope, relief and a little surprise were clearly visible in the applause of the workers.

In Maharashtra politics, ‘Pawar family’ has been not just a name, but a symbol of tradition and influence. Now, just before the municipal elections, scattered factions were seen on one platform. The question is not why the alliance happened, the question is whether it will be able to rebuild public trust?

Return of ‘Pawar family’

Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar announced at the rally in Pimpri-Chinchwad that his party and Sharad Pawar faction will jointly contest the municipal elections. This announcement was taken after the discussions that took place while finalizing the list of candidates, that is, the decision was not made suddenly but came out of ground mathematics.

Union of Symbols: ‘Ghari’ and ‘Tuatari’

Ajit Pawar gave the message through symbols: clock and tutari together. This was not just a sign of electoral coordination, but also of giving reassurance to those workers who were confused by being divided into two factions. The symbols may have changed, but the identity for the voter is now again said to be shared.

Decision had to be taken in the interest of development

Ajit Pawar said that many decisions have to be taken in the interest of “development of Maharashtra”. The statement was a direct answer to the questions that kept arising after the 2023 split—are differences permanent, or does everything in politics change with time?

Pimpri-Chinchwad is the stronghold of NCP

Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is counted among the richest civic bodies in the state and has been a stronghold of the Pawar-led NCP since 2017. In such a situation, the decision of joint fight here is also strategic. Victory here gives a statewide message.

Seat sharing and discipline

Ajit Pawar said that seat distribution has been discussed at the local level and a formal announcement will be made soon. At the same time, the workers were warned that any controversial statement can harm the alliance, that is, solidarity should be seen more in actions than in words.

Surname Politics

Political reactions to this mail were also sharp. Some called it natural, while others dismissed it as ‘surname politics’. Critics say that votes are won not by name but by work. This sarcasm directly points towards the mood of the public. It is also interesting that this mail happened at a time when there were reports of failure of talks regarding Pune Municipal Corporation. That means the strategy may be different region wise. Wherever there is benefit, there is support; Where not, options open up.

public test

Ultimately this alliance will be tested in the court of public opinion. Will this simultaneously lead to city development, debt relief and administrative stability? Or will it remain just an electoral compulsion? The Pawar family has reunited, now the voters will take the next decision.