Have not left Sharad Pawar, says Ajit 

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar claimed that he has not parted away from his uncle Sharad Pawar. Speaking in Pune district, Ajit Pawar claimed that all his party legislators wanted to join the Eknath Shinde government over pending developmental works. 

In a political campaign in his constituency Baramati, Ajit Pawar said, “I never left Pawar Saheb. In fact, I had informed him that all legislators decided to join the Eknath Shinde government as developmental work approved by our earlier government was halted. Legislators have signed the proposal letter.” 

The Nationalist Congress Party split in July last year after Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Shinde government. Following a decision by the Election Commission, he got the party name and ‘clock’ symbol, while the faction head by the octogenarian patriarch was named NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) with ‘man blowing tutari’ as its symbol. 

The NCP (SP) has fielded Yugendra Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew, to take on Ajit Pawar in Baramati. 

The Deputy CM has been MLA from Baramati since 1991. 

However, in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Ajit Pawar fielded his wife Sunetra Pawar from Baramati against sitting MP Supriya Sule, the daughter of Sharad Pawar. 

Sule defeated Sunetra Pawar comfortably and since then Ajit Pawar has often said fielding his wife was a mistake.