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Turf war within Mahayuti: BJP workers celebrate rejection of NCP candidate’s nomination in Angar, Ajit Pawar’s party vows to hit back

After Ujwala Thite's nomination for the post of Angar nagar panchayat president was rejected, the NCP accused the BJP of unfair practices and vowed to take legal action.

5 min readPuneUpdated: Nov 19, 2025 08:09 PM IST

NCP candidate Ujwala Thite provided with security. (Source: File)

The rivalry between the BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has turned more acrimonious after the rejection of NCP’s Ujwala Thite’s nomination for the post of president of the Angar nagar panchayat in the Solapur district of Maharashtra.

Moments after election officials rejected her form Tuesday evening, BJP workers and leaders went into a wild celebration, even taunting Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Videos of these celebrations have since gone viral. The BJP and the NCP are allies in the ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra.

”Ajit Pawar, you can go against everyone, but don’t try it with us,” said Balraje Patil, son of former NCP MLA Rajan Patil, who recently switched over to the BJP.

The rejection of Thite’s nomination has paved the way for BJP nominee Prajakta Patil, the daughter-in-law of Rajan Patil, to become the president of Angar nagar panchayat, which has recently been converted from a gram panchayat.

Also Read | NCP woman candidate files papers amidst heavy police security in Solapur

The NCP has reacted strongly to the challenge thrown by the BJP unit in Solapur. ”Those who are taunting us and indulging in wild celebrations will soon be bending down,” said NCP chief spokesperson Suraj Chavan, adding that the BJP had won local elections through unfair means.

NCP leader Amol Mitkari said, ”The BJP leader and his son will get a befitting reply.”

Ajit Pawar, however, has refused to get into a duel with the BJP. ”I will collect all the information and then speak,” he said.

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Even MLA Rohit Pawar, who belongs to the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, took objection to the use of language against Ajit Pawar. ”Your son does not know that power comes and power goes… The BJP has come to power by stealing votes. These fake buildings are going to collapse anyday. The use of language by your son against Ajit Pawar was highly inappropriate,” Rohit told Rajan Patil.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Rajan Patil tendered an apology to Ajit Pawar. ”My son got carried away during the celebrations and used objectionable words. I do not support such behaviour. Ajit Pawar should consider my son as his own son and should forgive him. I apologise to the entire Pawar family,” Rajan Patil said.

Controversy at Angar nagar panchayat

Angar is one of the 42 nagar panchayats that will go to the polls during the Maharashtra local body elections on December 2. All 17 seats of the Angar nagar panchayat have been won unopposed by a panel associated with BJP leader Rajan Patil.

The duel between the NCP and the BJP in Angar flared up after Thite sought to file her nomination paper for the post of president. She initially alleged that she was prevented from filing her papers by BJP workers who blocked her way by placing an array of vehicles on the road.

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NCP district chief Umesh Patil then took up the issue with Collector Kumar Ashirwad and Superintendent of Police Atul Kulkarni. After this, amidst heavy police security, Thite filed her nomination form on Monday, the last day for filing it. As many as 200 police personnel ensured security for Thite.

On Tuesday, however, Thite’s nomination was rejected because the form lacked the proposer’s signature. However, Thite and the NCP argued that only one signature was required, and her son, as the proposer, signed on the paper right in front of the election officials.

The district election officials, however, pasted her form on the notice board of the Angar nagar panchayat office, highlighting that there was no signature on the paper.

Thite’s son Jaywant said, “The election officials called out my name and I signed right in front of them. Yet they say I did not sign. This is a blatant lie,” he said.

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The NCP said they are ready for a legal fight. ”We are not going to keep quiet. We will take the matter to the court,” said Umesh Patil.

”For more than 60 years, the gram panchayat had unopposed elections, and now they are trying to get an unopposed election in the Nagar panchayat as well. Now, the world has learnt how unopposed elections are taking place. The entire election machinery is in their hand… Democracy is being thrown to the wind,” he alleged.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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