After the party nominated him from Baramati as its candidate for the Assembly elections on Thursday, Yugendra Pawar thanked his grandfather and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar for fielding him from the seat. “I humbly accept the decision of my grandfather to field me from Baramati. I’m eternally grateful to him,” he told The Indian Express.

Asked about his chances of winning against his uncle and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a popular leader who has won Baramati seven consecutive times, Yugendra said with Sharad Pawar by his side, he was fully confident of winning. “People of Baramati have always trusted Pawar saheb for years. Pawar saheb has put his faith in me and I’m sure, people of Baramati will give me an opportunity to serve them. With Pawar saheb by my side, I’m 100 per cent confident of winning the seat,” he said.

On the issues plaguing Baramati, Yugendra said he would highlight rising crime, corruption, unemployment among youths, water issue, inflation and lack of proper development in his campaign. “There are still some pockets in Baramati which lack drinking water facilities. These areas will be my priority,” he said.

Asked whether Ajit Pawar had failed to push Baramati’s development, Yugendra said, “Big buildings have come up in Baramati Assembly seat, but issues of the common man have remained unresolved. My uncle failed to address the issues of the common man. I will put in all effort to resolve issues affecting ordinary citizens.”

On claims by Ajit Pawar that he has implemented Rs 8,000-crore development works in Baramati, Yugendra said, “I don’t see development of that sort… if any sustainable development has taken place in Baramati, it was done by Pawar saheb.”

Festive offer

Yugendra said he will file his nominations after discussions with his grandfather and party leaders. “I will file my nomination in the next two three days,” he said. “I want to thank everyone… I will make most of the opportunity given to me… I will make Pawar saheb proud of my achievement. I have gone around Baramati taluka three times and will keep the momentum going,” he told reporters in Baramati.

State NCP president Jayant Patil, who announced the name of Yugendra at a press conference in Pune along with other names, said, “The Baramati candidate’s selection was based on demands of the local people and interaction with people and workers of our party. They had suggested that he can take everyone along. So we thought he is the best person from our side. The way he was being supported by people, we feel there will be a different result which you are not expecting,” he said.

This is the first time Yugendra, son of Ajit Pawar’s elder brother Sriniwas Pawar, will be contesting an Assembly election. While his uncle Ajit Pawar will be contesting his eighth Assembly election.

In the 2019 elections, Ajit Pawar had created a record by winning the seat by a margin of over 1.67 lakh votes. However, he was “fighting shy” of contesting from Baramati Assembly seat this time. He had instead suggested the name of his son Jay Pawar from the seat. NCP (SP) leaders had alleged he was scared of fighting as his wife trailed in the Baramati Assembly seat by over 48,000 votes during the Lok Sabha elections, which she lost to Supriya Sule.

NCP leaders like Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel had been insisting that Ajit Pawar will contest from Baramati and that he should lead the party from the front. Later, Ajit Pawar also changed his stand and cited the pressure from Baramatikars. “I belong to Baramati and Baramati belongs to me,” he had said.


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