Written by Ajay Jadhav , MANOJ MORE Pune | Updated: December 30, 2025 02:01 PM IST 5 min readThe Congress, initially reluctant in tying-up with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) owing to ideological differences, has decided to "accommodate" the Raj-Thackeray led-party in its alliance with Shiv Sena for the upcoming Pune Civic Body Polls. (Express Photo)While NCP (SP) dumped the Maha Vikas Aghadi and joined hands with Ajit Pawar-led NCP for elections to the Pimpri Chinchwad and Pune Municipal Corporations, the Congress, which had a problem in joining hands with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Mumbai due to ‘ideological differences’, on Monday agreed to ”accommodate” the Raj Thackeray-led party in the alliance with the Shiv Sena-UBT for the Pune civic body polls.“The alliance of Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) has been finalised. The Congress has been given 60 seats and Shiv Sena (UBT) 45 seats as of now. The discussion on the remaining 60 seats is going on, in which other alliance partners will also be accommodated,” Congress MLC Satej Patil, who is in-charge of the party’s Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad units, told reporters on Monday.Patil said the announcement of the alliance got delayed due to the NCP (SP) frequently changing its stand. “As NCP(SP) finally joined hands with the NCP, things became clear for us,” he said.Both Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) were against the NCP(SP)’s stand of joining hands with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in view of its alliance with BJP, both in the state and at the Centre.Also Read | Decode Politics: Why Ajit and Sharad Pawar have joined hands — is NCP merger on the cards?Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir said his party has got 40 seats in the seat-sharing arrangement so far and the official letters from the party will be issued to the prospective candidates for filing their nomination. “It has been decided that the Congress will talk to its other alliance partners, such as the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and other parties, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) will hold discussion with MNS and other parties to decide on the remaining seats,” he said.The MNS had sought 32 seats in the Pune civic body, said Ahir, adding that the discussion on the seat-sharing with MNS is going on and will be finalised soon.“Moreover, there are many from the BJP and its allies as well as the NCP and the NCP(SP) who are reaching out to us, considering they are not going to get a ticket from their respective party. We will wait for all those who reach out to us and give the party ticket to them based on their ability to win,” he said.Story continues below this adAlso Read | Ajit Pawar’s NCP to jointly fight Pune Municipal Corporation polls with Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP)Ahir said it has been the strategy of BJP to ensure there is no opposition left in the civic body as it asked its ally—Ajit Pawar-led NCP—to contest independently so that the BJP and the NCP can occupy both the ruling and Opposition seats. “The Ajit Pawar-led NCP will be the ruling party after the civic polls. If they are serious, then Ajit Pawar should declare in public that his party would not join hands with BJP after the elections,” he added.Commenting on the MNS joining the MVA, Patil said that if ruling Mahayuti partners can ally with parties outside their coalition as per their convenience, there should be no objection to the opposition doing the same. “These elections are to resolve the civic issues of Pune. The BJP and its alliance partner have failed to resolve the issues in their rule, so we have come together to handle the problems of citizens,” he said.Asked about the possibility of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi becoming a part of MVA, Patil said, ”They are demanding 40 seats, which will be difficult to accommodate. However, we are trying to reach an understanding. We are hopeful that they will be a part of MVA like in Mumbai.” In Mumbai, the Congress and VBA have formed an alliance.The MNS is likely to get between 20-25 seats. ”MNS will get seats from our quota. The final figure has not been decided,” ” said Sanjay More, Sena (UBT) president of Pune city.Story continues below this adAsked whether MNS leaders will jointly the election campaign of the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates, an MVA leader said, ”The Sena and MNS will campaign for their candidates together. The Congress will not be a part of it.”In 2017, Congress had nine corporators and one was co-opted. The undivided Shiv Sena had nine corporators. Most of them joined the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde after the split in 2022. The MNS had drawn a blank then.In Pimpri-Chinchwad, the Congress is holding a dialogue with Shiv Sena (UBT) and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi. ”No, we have not initiated any dialogue with MNS,” said Congress leader Babu Nair. The Congress had drawn blank in the last three elections in Pimpri-Chinchwad.Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd