The NCP (SP) declared its first list of 45 candidates for the assembly election on Thursday, pitting Yugendra Pawar against his uncle and NCP leader Ajit Pawar in Baramati. Additionally, another Pawar family member, Rohit Pawar, the current MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed, will run for re-election against the BJP’s Ram Shinde, whom he defeated in 2019.
The announcement was made by party state president Jayant Patil in Pune. In Aheri, Bhagyashri Atram, daughter of Dharmarao Baba Atram (a minister in the Mahayuti government and an MLA from Ajit Pawar’s faction), has been given a ticket.
Dharmarao Atram had publicly condemned his daughter’s decision to join the NCP (SP), suggesting she should be “thrown into the river”. Bhagyashri highlighted that it was Sharad Pawar who previously rescued her father from a Maoist kidnapping. Former home minister Anil Deshmukh has received a ticket from Katol in Nagpur.
A loyal party member, he previously faced jail time over corruption allegations but remained committed to the NCP (SP). In Mumbai, Rakhi Jadhav is the sole party candidate from the city, contesting from Ghatkopar. Jayant Patil confirmed that the NCP (SP) will soon announce its candidate for the Anushakti Nagar constituency, which is seen as a competitive seat against Shiv Sena UBT’s candidates.
Despite Sharad Pawar’s advocacy for increased female representation in politics, only four women have received tickets so far: Rohini Khadse, Bhagyashri Atram, Rakhi Jadhav and Rani Lanke.
Other notable contests include Hasan Mushrif against Samarjeet Ghatge and Jeetendra Awhad facing Najib Mulla, with Ghatge and Awhad receiving their respective tickets for Kagal and Mumbra-Kalwa.
