Ajit Pawar outsmarts estranged uncle Sharad Pawar

Mumbai, Nov 23 Ajit Pawar has finally outsmarted his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar not only is proving that the NCP headed by him is a ‘real’ NCP but also by winning more seats in the state Assembly elections.

Ajit Pawar, after deserting Sharad Pawar joined the MahaYuti in July 2023 and worked hard to consolidate his party’s presence in the state even after the oss of his wife and party nominee Sunetra Pawar to his estranged cousin and NCP-SP nominee Supriya Sule in the general elections from Baramati.

His move to turn pink helped to spread wings in the state. Ajit Pawar travelled extensively across the state to promote Ladki Bahin Yojana in a serious bid to lure women voters.

He promised his commitment that the Ladki Bahin Yojana would not be scrapped but it will continue for the next five years after MahaYuti comes back to power. The women voters have overwhelmingly supported Ajit Pawar-led NCP as they went by his resolve and commitment to higher financial assistance under the Ladki Bahin Yojana.

Of the 59 seats it contested, the Ajit Pawar faction was locked in a direct battle against the Sharad Pawar group in 40 constituencies across the state. Of the 40 seats, Ajit Pawar led faction won 30 seats while the balance 10 by NCP-SP, BJP and an independent.

Ajit Pawar will use his might to further outpace Sharad Pawar in the cooperative sector by demolishing the latter’s supremacy and also in the upcoming local and civic body elections.

Today’s victory has also helped Ajit Pawar to further tighten his grip on the party and increase bargaining power with MahaYuti partners as well.

It was ‘Pawar vs Pawar’ in the Baramati assembly seat where Ajit Pawar was pitted against his nephew and NCP-SP nominee Yugendra Pawar. Sharad Pawar had focused on his grand nephew’s victory but failed as Ajit Pawar won the seat.

In Yevala seat, NCP minister and veteran OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal won defeating the NCP-SP nominee Manikrao Shinde, NCP minister Dilip Walse-Patil against NCP-SP nominee Devdutt Nikam from Ambegaon, Maharashtra Deputy Speaker and NCP nominee Narahari Zirwal won against NCP SP nominee Sunita Charoskar from Dindori, NCP minister Hasan Mushrif emerged victorious defeating NCP-SP nominee Samarjeetsingh Ghatge from Kagal seat and NCP minister Dhananjay Munde won against NCP-SP Rajesaheb Deshmukh from Parli constituency.

NCP minister Sanjay Bansode won against NCP-SP nominee Sudhakar Bhalerao from Udgir, NCP nominee Babasaheb Patil against NCP SP nominee Vinayak Jadhav from Ahmedpur, NCP nominee Sachin Patil against NCP-SP nominee Deepak Chavan from Phaltan, NCP nominee Makrand Patil against NCP SP nominee Aruna Pisal from Wai, NCP nominee Shekhar Nikam against NCP-SP nominee Prashant Yadav from Chiplun, NCP nominee Rajesh Patil against NCP-SP nominee Nandita Babhulkar from Chandgad and NCP nominee Manoj Kayande against NCP-SP nominee Rajendra Shingane from Sindkhedraja

Further, NCP SP nominee Raju Koremore retained his seat in Tumsar defeating the NCP-SP nominee Charan Waghmare, NCP minister Dharmaraobaba Atram defeated his daughter and NCP-SP nominee Bhagyashree Atram from Aheri, NCP nominee Sana Malik won against NCP-SP nominee Farhad Ahmed from Anushakti Nagar, NCP nominee Aditi Tatkare against NCP SP nominee Anil Navgane from Shrivardhan, NCP nominee Anna Bansode against NCP-SP nominee Sulakshana Shilwant from Pimpri, NCP nominee Chetan Tupe against NCP-SP nominee Prashant Jagtap from Hadapsar, NCP nominee Kiran Lahamte against NCP-SP nominee Amit Bhangre in Akole, NCP nominee Ashutosh Kale against NCP-SP nominee Sandeep Varpe in Kopargaon, NCP nominee Kashinath Date against NCP-SP nominee Rani Lanke in Parner, NCP nominee Sangram Jagtap against NCP SP nominee Abhishek Kalamkar in Ahmednagar, NCP nominee Prakash Solankea against NCP-SP nominee Mohan Jagtap, NCP nominee Dattatray Bharne against NCP-SP nominee Harshvardhan Patil in Indapur, NCP nominee Dnyaneshwar Katke against NCP-SP nominee Ashok Pawar, NCP nominee Indranil Naik against NCP-SP nominee Sharad Mend in Pusad. In Basmat seat, NCP nominee Raju Navghare won as he defeated NCP-SP nominee Jaiprakash Dandegaonkar while in Sinnar NCP nominee Manikrao Kokate retained his seat defeating NCP-SP nominee Uday Sangle.

However, the NCP nominee Atul Benke lost to an independent in Junnar, NCP nominee Sunil Tingre suffered a defeat from NCP-SP nominee Bapusaheb Pathare in Wadgaonkar Sheri and NCP nominee Yogesh Kshirsagar lost to NCP-SP nominee Sandeep Kshirsagar in Beed. In the Ashti constituency, NCP nominee Balasaheb Asbe lost to the BJP nominee while NCP nominee Meenal Sathe lost to NCP-SP nominee Abhijit Patil in Madha. In the Islampur seat, the NCP nominee Nishikant Patil was defeated by the state NCP-SP president Jayant Patil. In the Mumbra-Kalwa seat, NCP nominee Najeeb Mulla suffered defeat from NCP-SP nominee Jitendra Awhad.

Similarly, in the Mohol constituency, NCP nominee Yashwant Mane lost to NCP-SP nominee Raju Khare while in the Tasgaon constituency NCP nominee Sanjaykaka Patil was defeated by NCP-SP nominee Rohit Patil. In the Morshi constituency, NCP nominee Devendra Bhuyar was defeated by the BJP nominee.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)

Source: IANS