Major Setback for NCP Ajit Pawar Group as Key Leaders Join Shiv Sena Shinde Faction

In a major political development in Maharashtra, several leaders from the NCP Ajit Pawar group have joined the Shiv Sena Shinde faction, triggering fresh political churn.

December 21, 2025, Mumbai – Maharashtra politics has once again witnessed a significant churn as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar suffered a major setback with several prominent leaders switching allegiance to the Shiv Sena Shinde faction. The political development is being seen as a strategic boost for Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ahead of the upcoming local body elections and an important warning signal for the Ajit Pawar-led camp within the ruling alliance.

According to political sources, the leaders who joined the Shiv Sena Shinde group were reportedly unhappy with internal functioning, lack of organizational clarity, and limited political opportunities within the NCP Ajit Pawar faction. Their decision to cross over reflects growing discontent at the grassroots level, especially in key districts where local leadership plays a decisive role in electoral outcomes. The induction ceremony took place in the presence of senior Shiv Sena leaders, further underlining the seriousness of the political move.

The Shiv Sena Shinde faction has been actively working to strengthen its organizational base across Maharashtra by inducting experienced leaders from rival parties. Party insiders claim that the latest entrants bring with them strong local networks and influence, which is expected to benefit the Shinde group in both urban and rural constituencies. The leadership has positioned these inductions as a validation of its governance model and political stability under the current state government.

For the NCP Ajit Pawar group, this development is being viewed as a significant political challenge. Since the split within the NCP, Ajit Pawar has been attempting to consolidate his faction by balancing power-sharing within the Mahayuti alliance while maintaining control over party cadres. However, repeated defections have raised questions about organizational cohesion and the ability to retain loyal leaders at the local level.

Political analysts suggest that such defections are not merely symbolic but could have a cascading effect in the coming months. Local body elections, including municipal corporations and zilla parishads, are heavily dependent on ground-level leadership. A shift of influential leaders often brings along workers and supporters, potentially altering the political arithmetic in several regions. This could pose difficulties for the NCP Ajit Pawar group in maintaining its vote base.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena Shinde faction has used the opportunity to sharpen its political messaging, portraying itself as a stable and decisive force in Maharashtra politics. Leaders from the Shinde camp have claimed that more politicians from opposition and alliance parties are in touch and may join soon. While such claims are common in political discourse, the recent induction has added credibility to these assertions.

The development has also reignited discussions around the broader power dynamics within the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena Shinde faction, and the NCP Ajit Pawar group. While the alliance continues to function at the government level, internal competition for influence and dominance remains evident. Observers believe that the coming months will be crucial in determining how these internal equations evolve.

As Maharashtra moves closer to key elections, political realignments such as these are expected to intensify. The latest blow to the NCP Ajit Pawar group and the corresponding gain for the Shiv Sena Shinde faction highlights the fluid nature of state politics, where loyalty, leadership, and local influence continue to shape the political landscape.

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