With Pawar saheb by my side, I am 100 per cent confident of winning Baramati seat, says Yugendra as another Pawar vs Pawar battle ensues in family bastion

Big buidlings have come up, but common man's problems remained unresolved in Baramati, says Yugendra Pawar.

Yugendra Pawar. (File Photo)

IN yet another Pawar versus Pawar battle, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP today fielded Yugendra Pawar from their family pocket borough of Baramati. On Wednesday, the NCP had announced the name of Ajit Pawar who had been reluctant to contest the same seat which he had never lost in last 30 years. An uncle versus nephew fight after the ”sister versus sister in law” fight during the Lok Sabha election promises to be another rivetting contest.

Moments after his name was announced by NCP (S-P) State chief Jayant Patil from Baramati assembly, Yugendra Pawar told this paper,”I humbly accept the decision of my grandfather to field me from Baramati seat. I will be eternally grateful to him.”

When asked whether he would be able to put up a fight against the likes of Ajit Pawar, a popular leader who had won Baramati seat for seven consecutive times, Yugendra, without any hesitation, said with Sharad Pawar by his side, he was fully confident of
capturing Baramati seat. ”People of Baramati have always trusted Pawar saheb for years. Pawar saheb has put his faith in me and I am sure, people of Baramati will give me an opportunity to serve them. With Pawar saheb by my side, I am 100 per cent confident of winning the seat,” he said.

Asked about the issues which plague Baramati, Yugendra said he would be highlighting rising crime, corruption, unemployment among youths, water issue, inflation and lack of proper development.

Yugendra said there are still some pockets in Baramati where drinking water have not reached. ”These areas will be my priority,” he said.

Asked whether Ajit Pawar had failed to push Baramati’s development, Yugendra said,”Big buildings have come up in Baramati assembly seat, but issues of the common man have remained unresolved. My uncle failed to address the issues of the common man. I will put in all effort to resolve issues affecting the ordinary citizens.”

Yugendra said he will file his nominations after discussing with his grandfather and party leaders. ”I will file by nomination in next two three days,” he said.

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”I want to thank everyone..I will make most of the opportunity given to me…I will make Pawar saheb feel proud of my achievement. I have gone around Baramati taluka three times and will keep the momentum going,” he told reporters in Baramati.

State NCP president Jayant Patil, who announced the name of Yugendra Pawar at a press conference in Pune along with names, revealed why Yugendra was selected to contest from Baramati.
”The Baramati candidate’s selection was based on demands of the local people and interaction with people and workers of our party. They had suggested that he can take everyone along. So we thought he is the best person from our side. The way he was being supported by people, we feel there will be a different result which you are not expecting,” he said.

This will first time Yugendra Pawar, son of Ajit Pawar’s elder brother Sriniwas Pawar, will be contesting an assembly election. While his uncle Ajit Pawar will be contesting his eighth ssembly election.

In 2019 election, Ajit Pawar had created a record on election turf of Maharashtra by winning the seat by a margin of over 1.67 lakh seat.

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However, Ajit Pawar was ”fighting shy” of contesting from Baramati assembly seat. He had instead suggested the name of his son Jay Pawar from the seat. Leaders from Sharad Pawar’s had alleged that he was scared of fighting as his wife was trailing in Baramati assembly seat by over 48,000 votes during the Lok Sabha election where his wife lost to Supriya Sule.

NCP leaders like Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel had been insisting that Ajit Pawar will contest from Baramati and that he should lead the party from the front. Later, Ajit Pawar also changed his stand and cited the pressure from Baramatikars. ”I belong to Baramati and Baramati belongs to me,” he had said.

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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