Caught between Ajit Pawar and Yugendra, Baramati sees higher turnout

Baramati, once synonymous with certainty in electoral outcomes, witnessed an unprecedented shift this assembly election as voters found themselves grappling with a tough choice.

The constituency, long considered a stronghold of the Pawar family, saw its loyalty divided between a formidable contender – seven-term MLA and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar – and 32-year-old Yugendra Pawar, making his electoral debut, with family patriarch Sharad Pawar on his side.

The close contest and fierce battle coupled with allegations, emotions and drama, pushed Wednesday’s polling percentage in Baramati to 71.03 percent even as the final figures were not in till the time of going to press. The turnout has been higher than in 2019 when Baramati witnessed 68.38 per cent polling. According to political observers, the higher polling percentage will help Ajit Pawar, who won the 2019 polls with a record margin of 1.67 lakh votes.

In the morning, Ajit Pawar was among the first voters to exercise his right. “I tried to meet everyone during the campaign and I am confident that voters will help me win with a sound margin. The contest wasn’t difficult, just that there was a member within the family contesting against me…I wanted to fight the poll on the issue of development,” said Ajit Pawar after exercising his franchise.

Read more: Baramati’s prestige battle: Will uncle Ajit secure 8th term against nephew Yugendra?

Yugendra Pawar on the way to the polling station said, “We have worked hard during the campaign and are confident that people will not forget Pawar Saheb and won’t forget us.”

For many voters, the choice between NCP candidate Ajit Pawar’s proven leadership and NCP (SP) nominee Yugendra’s fresh perspective turned this election into a dilemma. While Ajit Pawar’s urban supporters in Baramati town stood by him, the rural electorate leaned toward Yugendra, drawn by his familial connection to the iconic Sharad Pawar.

Rekha Gunjal, a resident of Baramati, encapsulated the sentiment of many. “We wanted to vote for both. Yugendra Pawar reminds us of Sharad Pawar’s legacy. On the other hand, Ajit Pawar has always been there for Baramati citizens, even helping us with our work in Mumbai or Pune. During the Lok Sabha elections, the decision was clear, but this time, it’s been incredibly tough.”

Usha Jagtap, another voter, echoed this sentiment. “We believe in Sharad Pawar’s leadership and are proud of him. Ajit Dada, however, is more experienced and has kept Baramati’s leadership strong at the state level. Choosing between the two was difficult.”

For older voters like Sambhaji Kale, the confusion stemmed from a deep connection to Sharad Pawar. “We’ve seen the tenures of both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. Our loyalty has always been with Saheb (Sharad Pawar). That doesn’t mean we’re rejecting Ajit Dada, but we didn’t like that he left Saheb and the party. Sharad Pawar built this state and handed it to him.”

The high stakes prompted Sharad Pawar to personally oversee Yugendra’s campaign, while Ajit Pawar, aware of the challenge, campaigned more cautiously and avoided any personal attack on the octogenarian.

In the Lok Sabha elections, voters had backed Supriya Sule over Ajit’s wife Sunetra Pawar.

“The outcome of this tightly contested battle will not just decide the next MLA of Baramati but also signal the direction of the Pawar family’s influence in Maharashtra’s politics. As votes are counted, the eyes of the state will be on Baramati, awaiting a verdict that could redefine its political future,” said Abhay Deshpande, a political observer.