NCP names Ajit Pawar from Baramati for assembly polls

This is quite the U-turn, as Ajit Pawar has been saying over the last few days that he will not contest elections from Baramati and will field another candidate instead

A day after BJP leader Harshvardhan Patil switched over to NCP (SP) and proclaimed that his was the “invisible hand” that helped MP Supriya Sule garner the numbers in Baramati in the Lok Sabha elections, on Tuesday, Ajit Pawar-led NCP working president Praful Patel announced that the deputy chief minister will be the party’s candidate for the upcoming assembly polls from Baramati.

Ajit Pawar has contested the assembly polls six times from Baramati. In the recently held Lok Sabha polls, his wife Sunetra Pawar lost to Supriya Sule of the NCP (SP). (HT FILE)

This is quite the U-turn, as Ajit Pawar has been saying over the last few days that he will not contest elections from Baramati and will field another candidate instead.

Patel said in Mumbai, “Let me clear this to you that Ajit Pawar will contest the polls from Baramati as the NCP candidate. Let there not be any ambiguity on this. I am making this as an official announcement.”

Incidentally, around the same time that Patel made the announcement, party supporters thronged Ajit Pawar’s convoy at Satav Square, in Baramati, urging him to contest the polls from his hometown. He eventually stepped out of his vehicle and told the crowd: “I will field the candidate of your choice.”

Last month, Ajit Pawar had indicated that he may not contest the polls from Baramati, leading to speculation that he may shift to another constituency and field his son, Jay Pawar, from Baramati, instead.

In subsequent meetings, he reiterated that his supporters will have to work for the candidate he plans to field from Baramati, adding further grist to the rumour mill that he may not be keen to contest the assembly polls from Baramati this time.

From the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), Yugendra Pawar is likely to contest the polls from the sugar bowl. He has already hit the ground making preparations.

Incidentally, Ajit Pawar has contested the assembly polls six times from Baramati. In the recently held Lok Sabha polls, his wife Sunetra Pawar lost to Supriya Sule of the NCP (SP).