Ajit Pawar signals readiness to pass Baramati assembly baton to younger son Jai

Pune: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday expressed a lack of enthusiasm for contesting the upcoming election from the Baramati assembly constituency, hinting that his younger son, Jai Pawar, might step into the political arena in his stead.
“We are living in a democracy and will give him a chance. I’m not much interested as I have already contested seven or eight times. If the local workers are keen on it, then the parliamentary board of the party will decide who should contest from there,” Pawar told reporters before embarking on the second leg of his ‘Jan Sanman Yatra’ in Pune.
Pawar was responding to queries about supporters of Jai Pawar demanding an opportunity for the younger Pawar to contest from the Baramati assembly constituency.
When pressed about his stance on the matter, Pawar reiterated his readiness to implement the decision of the workers and parliamentary board.
These remarks come two months after Pawar’s wife, Sunetra, suffered a defeat in a high-profile contest for the Baramati Lok Sabha seat. She was bested by Pawar’s cousin and Sharad Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule.
Pawar, a seven-term MLA from the Baramati assembly seat, is currently on a statewide tour to engage with the public, particularly women, and promote schemes launched by the state government in the recently presented 2024-25 state budget.
In response to Pawar’s comments, state Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sunil Tatkare said that the entire state wanted him to lead Maharashtra. “It is not only my wish but that of all of Maharashtra for him to lead the state. For that, he will have to contest the elections,” Tatkare stated.
Tatkare also emphasised that the NCP is contesting the state assembly elections under Ajit Pawar’s leadership. “When polls are fought in a leadership election, then the expectation for the leader to contest the election is obvious,” he added.
The potential shift in candidacy comes at a time when the NCP is gearing up for a crucial electoral battle, with Pawar’s leadership being seen as pivotal to the party’s prospects. The decision on who will represent the party in Baramati, a stronghold of the Pawar family, is likely to have significant implications for the NCP’s strategy in the upcoming elections.