E-Paper
Ajit Pawar’s panel sweeps Malegaon sugar factory polls, wins 20 of 21 seats
A total of four panels were in the fray, but the contest primarily played out between three—the Nilkantheshwar panel promoted by Ajit Pawar’s camp in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has firmly reasserted his hold over the Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Factory in Baramati, as the Nilkantheshwar panel backed by him secured a dominant victory, winning 20 out of the 21 seats in the board of directors’ election. The results were declared on Wednesday evening.
A total of four panels were in the fray, but the contest primarily played out between three—the Nilkantheshwar panel promoted by Ajit Pawar’s camp in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Sahakar Bachav panel led by Chandradeo Taware, and another panel led by Chandrarao Taware, backed by Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction. While the Sahakar Bachav panel managed to win just one seat, the panel associated with Sharad Pawar suffered a complete rout.
The election marked Ajit Pawar’s return to the cooperative sugar politics arena after nearly four decades. He had last contested for the board of the Malegaon sugar factory in 1984. His re-entry, therefore, turned this otherwise local contest into a politically significant one. The election gained attention across Maharashtra, particularly given the rift within the Pawar family and the larger NCP split.
Despite holding one of the most powerful offices in the state, Ajit Pawar devoted considerable time and energy to the campaign, addressing 18 meetings and spending over a week in the constituency. His intense involvement was seen as a response to the strong challenge posed by the Sahakar Bachav panel and an effort to reinforce his control over institutions in his Baramati stronghold.
Speaking after the victory, Ajit Pawar addressed criticism that he was focusing on a sugar factory rather than aspiring for the chief minister’s post. “The opposition accused me of prioritising the sugar factory over the chief minister’s chair. But this factory is located in my Baramati assembly constituency. I like to manage institutions in my area properly. I even serve as chairman of the Sahayog Housing Society in Baramati where I live. Running institutions well is my constitutional right, and that’s why I contested,” he said.
Ranjan Taware of the Sahakar Bachav panel acknowledged the defeat but maintained it was a credible fight. “We don’t consider it a humiliation. On the other side was deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who campaigned here for eight days, even skipping a cabinet meeting. He addressed 18 public meetings for what was essentially a local election. That shows we fought well,” he said.
