Pune: Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister and Mahayuti candidate for the Baramati Assembly seat, formally submitted his nomination papers on Monday (October 28) with a grand show of support.

Pawar began the nomination process with a ceremony at his residence in Sahyog Society, where he received blessings from his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and sister, Vijaya Patil.

Following this, he paid tribute to statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in Kasba and on Indapur Road, respectively, accompanied by a large rally that demonstrated significant backing from supporters.

Upon reaching the Administrative Building, Pawar submitted his nomination to Election Officer Vaibhav Nawadkar.

His nomination was supported by a strong turnout of party officials, including NCP taluka president Rajvardhan Shinde, Malegaon president Keshavrao Jagtap, Someshwar’s Purushottam Jagtap, and Chhatrapati’s Prashant Kate. Leaders and supporters from NCP and Mahayuti alliance parties attended in large numbers to bolster his campaign.

Ajit Pawar then initiated his campaign by visiting Maruti Temple in Kanheri, emphasizing his commitment to engaging with his constituency.

This electoral showdown between Ajit Pawar and his nephew Yugendra Srinivas Pawar will see the prominent Pawar family once again split across party lines in Baramati, as Yugendra represents the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar).

The question of who Sharad Pawar would endorse in Baramati had sparked much interest.

Ajit Pawar has maintained an unbroken reign over the Baramati Assembly seat for seven consecutive terms. Under his leadership, the constituency has seen major development, with Ajit bringing in substantial funding and overseeing numerous projects. His influence extends to nearly all of Baramati’s major institutions.