Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: Sharad Pawar strategically fields candidates against Ajit Pawar-led NCP

'Pawar Saheb has strategically fielded candidates. He has cornered several of his former aides (who sided with Ajit Pawar),' said a senior NCP (SP) leader from Baramati.

Mumbai: Veteran politician and NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar not only cornered his rebel nephew Ajit Pawar but several of his former aides and ex-colleagues in the run-up to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls.

The list includes Chhagan Bhujbal (Yeola), Dilip Walse-Patil (Ambegaon), Hasan Mushrif (Kagal) and Dhananjay Munde (Parli), Narhari Zirwal (Dindori), Dharmarao Baba Atram (Aheri), Shrirang Barne (Indapur) - the high-profile among them.

They all sided with Ajit Pawar when he claimed control of the NCP that Sharad Pawar founded 25 years ago and switched over to the ruling BJP-led Maha Yuti (NDA) during June-July 2023.

“Pawar Saheb has strategically fielded candidates. He has cornered several of his former aides. Wherever needed, he has got candidates from other parties, whether from the opposition or ruling side. He also ensured proper caste-combination,” said a senior NCP (SP) leader from Baramati.

In Baramati, from where Ajit Pawar is seeking reelection for eighth term, he had fielded his grand-nephew Yugendra Pawar.

Pawar’s daughter and Baramati MP, who had defeated his Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar, in Lok Sabha polls, is actively campaigning here.

Supriya Sule’s daughter Revati was seen campaigning for Yugendra Pawar and so as his cousin Rohit Pawar, who is MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed in neighbouring Ahilyanagar district (earlier Ahmednagar).

In Ambegaon in Pune district, where Walse-Patil, a minister, Pawar has fielded Devdatta Nikam, who was once one of the closest aides of Walse-Patil.

In Yeola in Nashik, where Bhujbal, a senior OBC leader and minister, is contesting, is facing Manikrao Shinde son of former MLA Madhukarrao Shinde - who comes from a Maratha family. Bhujbal, a former Deputy CM, is facing strong opposition from Marathas and Manoj Jarange-Patil has appealed to the community in Nashik to ensure his defeat. Shinde is a former aide of Bhujbal, who hails from Mali community. Incidentally, Bhujbal’s own nephew Sameer Bhujbal has rebelled and contested polls from Nandgaon.

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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