With just three weeks to go for the Pune municipal election, the city’s political battlefield has transformed into a carnival of cash, cars, couture and cousins reuniting — all at once.

Aspiring corporators, jostling aggressively for power at the ward level, have unleashed a dizzying buffet of freebies that would put even state election manifestos to shame. From foreign holidays to luxury vehicles, gold jewellery to acres of land, Pune’s voters are being wooed like never before — and with barely concealed audacity.

In Lohgaon–Dhanori ward, one candidate has promised 11 voters a whopping 1,100 sq ft plot each, to be awarded through a ‘lucky draw’. Registration has already begun, blurring the line between democratic choice and lottery luck.

In Viman Nagar, another hopeful has raised the stakes further, dangling a five-day luxury Thailand tour for couples. Elsewhere, SUVs, two-wheelers and gold ornaments are being offered as prizes, all neatly packaged as “draws” rather than outright handouts.

Women voters, especially homemakers, are being targeted with surgical precision. Thousands of Paithani sarees — prized silk drapes woven with gold and silver threads — have already changed hands. Sewing machines and bicycles have followed, signalling a clear push to consolidate the female vote bank.

For sports enthusiasts, the lure is no less dramatic. Cricket leagues with cash prizes touching ₹1 lakh have sprung up across wards, underlining the fierce, money-fuelled competition unfolding on Pune’s streets.

But the freebies frenzy is only half the story.

Behind the scenes, Maharashtra’s most dramatic political families are scripting fresh chapters. A Pawar reunion is quietly brewing, with Sharad Pawar and nephew Ajit Pawar’s rival NCP factions holding their first seat-sharing talks ahead of the January 15 polls.

Sources say Sharad Pawar is pushing for 40–45 seats, while Ajit Pawar — now aligned with the BJP and Eknath Shinde camp after his 2023 split — is unwilling to go beyond 30. The negotiations, involving senior leaders from both camps, are expected to intensify after further consultations with Supriya Sule.

Adding to the political theatre, the Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, reunited earlier this week after two decades of estrangement. Their Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance, however, has rattled the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, prompting Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction to walk out of the arrangement — at least for this election.

As Pune braces for polling day, one thing is clear: this civic election is no longer just about potholes and water supply. It’s about power, prestige, money — and who can dazzle voters the most before they step into the booth.