Dharashiv Leader Ashok Jagdale Joins Congress, Blow to Sharad Pawar’s NCP

NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Ashok Jagdale, along with key local figures, has officially joined the Congress ahead of the December 2 local-body elections, marking a major shift in Dharashiv district politics.

DHARASHIV, Maharashtra, 14 November 2025 – In a significant political development ahead of local body elections in Maharashtra, Ashok Jagdale, a veteran leader of the Nationalist Congress Party – Sharad Pawar Faction (NCP-SP) in the Dharashiv district, formally joined the Indian National Congress. Jagdale, who has contested assembly elections twice and commanded considerable local influence in the Naldaurg municipal area, switched sides along with his supporters, posing a fresh challenge to his former party. The move comes in the run-up to the municipal council and nagar parishad polls scheduled for 2 December, and is viewed as both a local and symbolic setback for NCP-SP.

Jagdale’s defection was announced publicly and noted by local Congress workers as an infusion of new strength. He declared that under the Congress banner, the party would contest the Naldaurg municipal election as the Mahavikas Aghadi candidate against the major rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party. He also claimed that the formula worked out would allocate 18 seats for Congress, one each for the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) (Shiv Sena UBT) and NCP-SP in that local body. Local observers say the defection not only weakens NCP-SP’s local base but also signals the shifting alignments ahead of the polls. Traditionally, Dharashiv has been considered a stronghold of NCP-SP, but a string of defections—including this recent one—suggests the party’s grip may be loosening.

Reports from Dharashiv suggest that Jagdale joined Congress along with a contingent of local corporators and party workers from NCP-SP. Among them were a former municipal chairman, former councillors and development-society heads who cited lack of opportunities within their old party as a reason for the switch. In the 2017 municipal elections, Jagdale’s team had secured governance of the Naldaurg council; his sudden departure now leaves that structure in flux. The timing has added to the political impact: coming just weeks before local body elections, the change may alter coalition dynamics and candidate calculations across the region.

For Congress, the acquisition is likely to boost morale among its cadre and provide a competitive advantage locally. For NCP-SP, the loss of a key veteran leader ahead of critical polls raises questions about its organisational strength and future strategy in the district. Political analysts say that while national politics shapes headlines, local leaders like Jagdale drive results at the grassroots—and such losses may have outsized effects during tight contests. As votes approach, attention will now shift to whether Congress capitalises on the momentum or NCP-SP manages to recuperate.

With elections scheduled for December 2 and results set for December 3, Dharashiv is now poised to be one of the hot seats watched for signs of changing loyalty patterns. Jagdale’s switch may spark further movement among local leaders in the next few days. The pressing question remains: will this act as a turning point in the region’s political map or merely a tactical shift ahead of the polls?

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