The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Sharad Pawar has announced its list of 45 candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Among the most notable names is Yugendra Pawar, nephew of Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who has been fielded in the Baramati Assembly constituency. Yugendra will take on Ajit in Pawar family’s stronghold.

Yugendra, the son of Srinivas Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s brother, has remained loyal to Sharad Pawar’s faction following the split within the NCP. The split occurred when Ajit Pawar parted ways with his uncle, Sharad Pawar, and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, taking the party’s symbol and name along with him.

While addressing the media, Yugendra expressed his vision for Baramati, subtly criticizing his uncle Ajit without directly naming him. He stated that his goal is to “end corruption and hooliganism” in the constituency, signaling a fierce battle for control in the region.

The political rivalry between the Pawar family has already played out in recent elections. During the last Lok Sabha polls, Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, secured 573,979 votes in Baramati but was defeated by her sister-in-law, Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar’s daughter, who garnered 732,312 votes.

In addition to Baramati, Sharad Pawar’s NCP has fielded prominent leaders in other key constituencies. The list includes state NCP president Jayant Patil from Islampur, Jitendra Awhad from Mumbra-Kalwa, Anil Deshmukh from Katol, and Rohit Patil, son of the late R. R. Patil, making his electoral debut from Tasgaon-Kavthemahankal.

The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with both NCP factions gearing up for an intense battle for dominance across the state.

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