No decision on Pandharpur seat for Parth in Maharashtra by-polls, says Ajit Pawar

Deputy chief minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar said that there was no decision taken by the party to field his son Parth Pawar

Deputy chief minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar said that there was no decision taken by the party to field his son Parth Pawar in the Pandharpur by-polls after the Assembly seat fell vacant owing to the death of sitting party MLA Bharat Bhalke a month ago.

Ajit Pawar’s son Parth unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Maval constituency. (HT Photo)

Dismissing reports that Parth received the candidature, Pawar said that the candidate will be finalised after consulting with local party leadership and two other ruling parties in Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA). He said it is the first Assembly election after the MVA government was formed and the alliance will fight it with full strength.

After the demand at the local level propped up for the candidature of Parth, who unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Maval constituency, speculations have been rife in the political corridors over the candidature.

“The reports about Parth Pawar getting the candidature are unfounded. “The final decision over the candidature is taken by our state unit chief Jayant Patil and the selection committee after discussing it with local leaders and MVA allies. This is the first Assembly election after formation of the MVA government and its candidate will win with a huge margin of votes,” Pawar said.

In August, Parth was publicly rebuked by the NCP supremo and his grandfather Anantrao Pawar for going against the party stand and demanding that the Central Bureau of Investigation look into Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case. Pawar had called him “immature” and had also said he doesn’t give a damn about what Parth says.