Pune Election 2024: NCP vs NCP (SP) Battle Heats Up in Vadgaonsheri, Hadapsar, and Across Maharashtra
Pune Election 2024: NCP vs NCP (SP) Battle Heats Up in Vadgaonsheri, Hadapsar, and Across Maharashtra
Pune: In a high-stakes contest, the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections have ignited an intense internal rivalry within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with key seats like Vadgaonsheri and Hadapsar in Pune joining Baramati as the battlegrounds for an NCP versus NCP (SP) showdown. The two Pune constituencies are currently held by Sunil Tingre and Chetan Tule, loyalists of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who recently split from the NCP led by Sharad Pawar. This division has created a new faction, with Ajit Pawar’s supporters now fielding candidates across 36 seats under the Mahayuti alliance, setting up direct competition with the original NCP faction in the state elections.
Baramati, the home turf of Sharad Pawar, will see one of the most closely watched races as Ajit Pawar takes on his nephew Yugendra Pawar. Yugendra, the political protégé of Sharad Pawar and four-time MP Supriya Sule, is expected to mount a strong defense in this NCP heartland. Voters will face a choice between Ajit Pawar’s extensive experience and Yugendra’s appeal as a defender of NCP’s traditional values and legacy.
The election will feature 15 NCP vs NCP (SP) clashes in Western Maharashtra’s sugar belt, alongside contests in North Maharashtra (7), Marathwada (5), Vidarbha (4), Mumbai (1), the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (2), and Konkan (2), according to reports.
In addition to Baramati, Sharad Pawar has positioned candidates across Maharashtra to reclaim his faction’s hold. Notable contests include Ambegaon, where Devdutt Nikam is up against senior NCP minister and former Pawar aide Dilip Walse Patil, and Yeola, where Chhagan Bhujbal faces Manikrao Shinde. Dhananjay Munde is set to compete against Rajesaheb Deshmukh for Parli, while Dharamrao Atram is contesting against his daughter, Bhagyashree, for the Aheri seat. Aditi Tatkare will face NCP (SP) candidate Anil Navghane in a critical race for Raigad.
As a result of the 2023 split, the Election Commission awarded Ajit Pawar’s faction control of the NCP’s name and symbol, citing majority support within the party. According to seat-sharing agreements, Ajit Pawar’s faction is fielding 51 candidates under the Mahayuti alliance, while the Sharad Pawar-led faction is contesting 87 seats with the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition.
In a show of strength, Ajit Pawar’s NCP has fielded Nishikant Patil against Jayant Patil, the state NCP (SP) chief, in Islampur, and Najeeb Mulla against MLA Jitendra Awhad in Mumbra-Kalwa. The Shirur constituency will see Dnyaneshwar Katke contesting against NCP (SP) MLA Ashok Pawar, illustrating the factional face-off across the state.
As the election date approaches, Pune and the rest of Maharashtra prepare for a decisive showdown that will test the strength, loyalty, and future trajectory of the NCP.
