Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar scored significant victories in the state assembly elections on Saturday, reaffirming their political dominance in their respective constituencies.
Fadnavis, a senior BJP leader, triumphed from the Nagpur South West seat for the fourth time, securing 129,401 votes and defeating his Congress rival Prafulla Gudhade Patil by a margin of 39,710 votes.
While Fadnavis' victory margin dipped by 9,643 votes compared to the 2019 elections, it marked his sixth assembly poll win, having previously won from Nagpur West in 1999 and 2004.
Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president, emerged victorious from his stronghold in Baramati, securing 1,81,132 votes.
He defeated his nephew, Yugendra Pawar of the NCP (SP), by a resounding margin of over one lakh votes, with Yugendra gaining 80,233 votes.
This victory not only marked Pawar's eighth term from the constituency but also served as a personal triumph, as he overcame a challenge from his own family faction.
Ajit Pawar’s victory came despite a vigorous campaign by his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar, who had backed Yugendra as the new face of Baramati.
The election was closely contested, with both factions of the NCP pulling out all the stops, with family members like Sharad Pawar’s wife Pratibha and Supriya Sule, and even Ajit’s mother, participating in the rallies.
Ajit Pawar, however, cautioned voters against falling for the “emotional pitch” of his uncle’s faction.
Ajit Pawar’s win further solidifies his position as a key figure within the NCP, especially after his decision to align with the BJP-Shiv Sena government in 2023, marking a shift in Maharashtra’s political landscape.
His success signals his claim as the true political heir of the NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999.
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