Maharashtra polls: NCP(SP) first list pits Pawar vs Pawar again in Baramati

The NCP (SP) on Thursday, 24 October, announced the candidature of Yugendra Pawar against his uncle and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar from Baramati as the party released its first list of 45 candidates for the 20 November state assembly elections.

Ajit Pawar, who became president of the Nationalist Congress Party after parting ways with his uncle and party founder Sharad Pawar last year, is the sitting MLA from the Baramati assembly constituency in Pune district. His party has already announced that Ajit would contest from his traditional seat.

Yugendra (32) is the son of Ajit Pawar's younger brother Shrinivas Pawar.

Others in the NCP (SP) list included its state chief Jayant Patil (Islampur), Jitendra Awhad (Mumbra–Kalwa), Anil Deshmukh (Katol), Harshvardhan Patil (Indapur) and late NCP politician R.R. Patil's son Rohit Patil, who is making his debut (Tasgaon–Kavthemahankal).

Notably, in the Lok Sabha elections, Ajit Pawar's wife and NCP candidate Sunetra Pawar had polled 5,73,979 votes in the Baramati parliamentary constituency, losing to her sister-in-law and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, who got 7,32,312 votes.

Jayant Patil announced the first list of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates at a press conference here.

Yugendra was selected as candidate on the demand of the people of Baramati, he said to a question.

"I interacted with local people and party workers. According to them, Yugendra is a new face and can take everyone along. We thought he would be the best choice from our side. The way people are supporting him, there will be a different result this time," Patil said.

Reacting to the announcement, Yugendra Pawar said he was thankful to party supremo Sharad Pawar for putting faith in him. He will work with complete dedication, he added.