Ganesh Kendale
PUNE: NCP (SCP) gave tickets to 11 of its 12 sitting MLAs in its first list of 45 candidates for Maharashtra assembly polls released on Thursday.
In at least 13 seats, NCP (SCP), led by Sharad Pawar, will take on the NCP faction led by Pawar’s nephew and deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Baramati will witness a replay of Pawar clan contest with NCP (SCP) fielding Yugendra Pawar against his uncle Ajit Pawar.In the Lok Sabha election, Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule had defeated his cousin Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra in Baramati.
NCP (SCP) state chief Jayant Patil said Yugendra Pawar was fielded in Baramati following the demand of local party workers.
A similar contest is likely in the Aheri constituency, with sitting NCP MLA Dharmaraobaba Atram fielded against his daughter and NCP (SCP) nominee Bhagyashree. Other seats where the two factions face off are Kagal, where NCP (SCP)’s Samrjeet Ghatge will take on state minister Hasan Mushrif, and Ambegaon, where Devdatta Nikam will contest against minister Dilip Walse Patil.
The outcome of the showdown between Ajit Pawar’s NCP and NCP (SCP) will decide which faction will reign supreme in western Maharashtra – considered a stronghold of the undivided NCP. In the Lok Sabha polls, the two factions contested against each other in two seats – Baramati and Shirur. NCP (SCP) won both.
