Pune: The anticipated face-off in Baramati between Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and his nephew Yugendra Srinivas Pawar in the upcoming Assembly election was confirmed on Thursday (October 24).

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

On Thursday, the NCP (SP) released its first list of candidates, selecting Yugendra Pawar for the Baramati Assembly seat. Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar had already been confirmed as the candidate from Baramati for NCP.

The question of who Sharad Pawar would endorse in Baramati had sparked much interest, and his choice to back Yugendra against Ajit Pawar underscores a deepening divide within the family’s political ranks.

Yugendra Pawar has been actively mobilizing in the Baramati constituency for weeks. In a similar family rivalry earlier this year, MP Supriya Sule contested against her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar in the Lok Sabha elections in Baramati.

Now, Ajit Pawar and his nephew Yugendra are set for a direct contest that has captured statewide attention. Senior leader Sharad Pawar and MP Supriya Sule are expected to rally behind Yugendra, and their campaign speeches will be closely followed for signals to the voters of Baramati.

Ajit Pawar, however, 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.

As a result, the upcoming election has sparked interest in how Yugendra will challenge this well-established legacy. Much like the Lok Sabha election, this Assembly election in Baramati is set to be one of Maharashtra’s most watched contests.