India, Dec. 29 -- Blood is thicker than ideology is a truism when it comes to Indian politics. So, it is no surprise that Sharad and Ajit Pawars have come together to fight municipal elections in Pune and neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad corporations. On Sunday, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions announced a seat deal for the January 15 municipal elections. What makes the arrangement interesting is Ajit Pawar continues to be a deputy chief minister in the BJP-led state government even as his party joins hands with NCP (Sharad Pawar) to take on the BJP - and the Congress, the largest group in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) mentored by Sharad Pawar - in Pune district.

The reasons behind this political realignment are simple. One, sinc...