India, Dec. 22 -- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday began one-on-one interviews with prospective candidates from 41 wards, indicating that his party is preparing to contest the civic polls independently in the city.

Pawar conducted the interviews at Baramati Hostel in Pune, where NCP leader Rupali Chakankar and both city party presidents were present.

Pradeep Deshmukh, NCP working president, said, "The response from aspirants was positive."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, are holding discussions to contest the elections together. And with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis having indicated that the BJP would not enter into an alliance with the NCP, a three-cornered cont...