India, Jan. 16 -- Voting patterns from Muslim-dominated pockets of Pune's southern suburbs, particularly Kondhwa and the Mohammadwadi-Undri area, indicated a consolidation of votes in favour of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) during the Pune Municipal Corporation elections, political observers said.

Local leaders and election watchers said Ward 41 (Mohammadwadi-Undri) saw a relatively unified turnout from Muslim-majority localities, which is believed to have benefited the NCP panel comprising Ashwini Suryavanshi, Nivrutti Bandal, Shweta Ghule and Farook Inamdar. Observers said this consolidation could prove significant in a ward where the wider political contest remains fragmented.

Ward 41 has traditionally been clos...