Maharashtra Assembly elections: Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, others file nomination ahead of polls

Ahead of filing nomination on Monday, Ajit Pawar held a roadshow and exuded confidence saying that the people of Baramati will give him a mandate this time as well.

Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde on Monday filed his nomination from Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly constituency ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls. 

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday filed a nomination from the Baramati assembly seat. His nephew and grandson of Sharad Pawar, Yugendra Pawar, is fighting from the same constituency as the NCP-SP candidate. This time, the Baramati seat will see another Pawar versus Pawar contest after Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, defeated Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, during the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year.

Ajit Pawar split the NCP in June 2023. When asked about contesting the election against his uncle, who has won this seat seven times, Yugendra Pawar told ANI that he feels it is quite sad and quite unfortunate.

Ahead of filing nomination on Monday, Ajit Pawar held a roadshow and exuded confidence saying that the people of Baramati will give him a mandate this time as well. "Everyone has the right to contest. Whenever any candidate is fielded against me I take them as a strong candidate and campaign accordingly. This time too the people of Baramati will elect me and I have faith in them," said Ajit Pawar.

Yugendra Pawar added, "This was unfortunate but all of us in the family decided that we need to stay with Pawar Sahab because he is the founder of the NCP, he is the patriarch of the family and it is because of him that not only Baramati but everybody around also prospered."Yugendra Pawar feels that the fight against his own uncle won't be tough but won't be easy either.

He said, "I don't think it will be tough but I don't even think that it will be easy either. But initially Pawar Sahab was supporting Ajit Pawar, we fondly call him Dada but people of Baramati in large numbers are behind Pawar Sahab and that is what they showed in Lok Sabha. They will show this in the upcoming assembly as well as other elections also.

The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies set for November 23. In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, the Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.