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Jolt for Ajit Pawar as NCP’s Pune chief quits to contest against party candidate in Indapur civic polls

Pradeep Garatkar, who was known to be a close confidant of NCP chief Ajit Pawar, will now be contesting as a candidate of the Krishna Bhima Vikas Aghadi in Indapur.

Garatkar said the NCP ignored his demand as the party did not need him anymore. (File Photo)

In a major setback to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in his home district of Pune, its regional unit president Pradeep Garatkar quit on Monday, and decided to contest against the party candidate for nagaradhyaksh in the Indapur Nagar Parishad with the support of NCP(SP), BJP, and Shiv Sena members.

Despite Garatkar’s opposition, the NCP had decided to field Bharat Shah, who had recently left the NCP(SP), for the post of nagaradhyaksh (president) in the election to the Indapur Nagar Parishad. “I had objected to Shah’s candidature and conveyed the party cadre’s disappointment on the matter. However, the party leadership decided to give him the candidature because of his wealth, so I decided to resign as the NCP’s district unit chief,” said Garatkar, who was a confidant of Ajit Pawar.

He will now be contesting as a candidate of the Krishna Bhima Vikas Aghadi, an alliance formed by members of the NCP(SP), BJP, and Shiv Sena who share a similar agenda.

Garatkar said the NCP ignored his demand as the party did not need him anymore. “I had given everything possible for the growth of the NCP in the last 20 years, and never expected such treatment from the party leadership. It was suffocating. So the time came for me to quit,” he added.

“I had sought candidature for another party worker to contest as the Nagaradhyaksh, but it was not accepted. I had made it clear that if the loyal party worker was not allowed to contest the election, then I would part ways with the party. I did not want to contest the civic polls myself, but my supporters insisted that I jump into the fray in everyone’s interest,” he said.

Garatkar added that his supporters urged him to contest the election in alliance with those who envisioned the development of Indapur taluka.

NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Harshvardhan Patil, who has taken the lead to form the Krishna Bhima Vikas Aghadi, said, “I want to clarify that the new pre-poll alliance is a local alliance and has nothing to do with any political party.”

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Patil said Garatkar will be their candidate for nagaradhyaksh and the alliance will also contest the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.

A committed leader: Supriya Sule
NCP(SP) executive president Supriya Sule said she got to know about Garatkar’s quitting through social media. “I have had good relations with him and his family for years. There have been political differences between us in the recent past, but he has been a committed leader who contributed a lot to the NCP,” she said.

“Whatever treatment he received is unjustified, but it is the internal issue of another political party,” Sule said, adding that the local unit of the NCP(SP) would decide on whether to support Garatkar in the election.

State minister and NCP legislator from Indapur Dattatray Bharne said the party fielded Shah because of his family’s legacy in developing the region. “It is not about his wealth, but the work done by the Shah family for Indapur’s development that led Bharat Shah to be declared the party candidate for Indapur Nagaradhyaksh,” he said, adding that the party leadership will have a discussion with Garatkar on the stand he has taken for the civic elections.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune, a role that reflects his seniority and editorial Authority. He is a highly specialized journalist whose work demonstrates significant Expertise in the critical areas of urban development, governance, and sustainability, often linking policy to its on-the-ground impact across Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Editorial Role: As an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Ajay Jadhav contributes to the editorial direction and maintains high standards of Trustworthiness and quality in his reporting. Core Specialization: His reporting focuses intensely on the intersection of infrastructure, politics, and social development, with expertise in: Infrastructure and Civic Issues: Provides in-depth coverage of crucial development and urban governance topics. His work includes reporting on the glaring contrast between planned infrastructure projects (like private helipads) and the lack of basic facilities (schools and hospitals) in politically significant areas, highlighting accountability gaps. Politics and Governance: Consistently reports on political developments, scrutinizing decision-making that affects public life and development initiatives in Maharashtra. Sustainable Development & Environment: Demonstrates a commitment to responsible development by reporting on initiatives that successfully protect the environment while ensuring essential infrastructure development. Investigative and Policy Impact: National Impact: Ajay has written notable research articles on Conservancy staff which achieved a nationwide impact by directly contributing to the framing of policies aimed at improving the working conditions of waste-handling laborers. This demonstrates his capacity for impactful, evidence-based journalism. Additional Interests Personal Engagement: His background as a trekker and sports enthusiast suggests a keen personal interest in the environment and outdoor spaces, which likely informs his detailed and passionate reporting on sustainable development and civic issues. Ajay Jadhav's sustained focus on governance, his track record of high-impact policy-shaping research, and his critical eye for infrastructure gaps establish him as a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis in Pune and Maharashtra. ... Read More

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