Ajit Pawar Clinches Victory Over Nephew Yugendra Pawar, Secures Baramati for Eighth Term
Ajit Pawar Clinches Victory Over Nephew Yugendra Pawar, Secures Baramati for Eighth Term
With a lead of over 50,000 votes, Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has secured his eighth consecutive term as the MLA for the Baramati constituency. This election was particularly notable as he faced competition from his own nephew, Yugendra Pawar. Although there were expectations of a tight race, with some predicting Ajit Pawar could lose due to anti-incumbency sentiments and a sympathy wave for Sharad Pawar, he has won comfortably.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Ajit Pawar had his son, Parth Pawar, contest in Maval, but he was unsuccessful. In the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, ran against his cousin Supriya Sule but also lost. Many believed this might be the election where Ajit Pawar would face defeat, but he has secured victory with a lead of 53,502 votes as of 1:20 PM.
The Baramati constituency, which has a total of 375,000 voters, experienced a high voter turnout of 71.03%, contributing to the uncertainty surrounding the election outcome. However, despite several rounds of counting still underway, Ajit Pawar has been declared the mathematical winner.
In 2023, Ajit Pawar broke away from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and rebelled against his uncle, Sharad Pawar, by joining the BJP-led Mahayuti government as Deputy Chief Minister. Following this move, he faced multiple challenges, including his wife’s defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramati, which led many of his close supporters to change their loyalties. In this election, Sharad Pawar chose to run his grandnephew and Ajit Pawar’s nephew, Yugendra Pawar, against him. Although Ajit Pawar initially claimed he wasn’t interested in running, he eventually decided to enter the race. Despite a competitive campaign from both sides and expectations of a close contest in Baramati, Ajit Pawar emerged victorious against his nephew.
