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ZP, Panchayat Samiti elections | ‘Fitting Ajit homage’: Rohit Pawar tells voters to support Ajit’s ideology

The elections of 12 zila parishads and Panchayat Samitis were scheduled for February 5, but they were postponed after Ajit Pawar's death.

3 min readPuneFeb 7, 2026 08:50 AM IST

ZP, Panchayat Samiti elections | 'Fitting Ajit homage': Rohit Pawar tells voters to support Ajit's ideology

The election is now scheduled for February 7 and the results will be declared on February 9.

As the NCP-NCP(SP) alliance cancelled its election campaign for the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections following the demise of Ajit Pawar, NCP(SP) leader and the late deputy chief minister’s nephew Rohit Pawar has appealed to voters, saying now was the right time to cooperate by supporting the ideology of the deceased leader and carry forward his legacy in the elections.

Earlier, the NCP released a video of Ajit Pawar recorded just before his death in which he appealed to voters to elect NCP candidates as the party was always committed to developing rural areas and electing the party candidate would further enable it to carry out this development by providing civic services using the latest in technology. “The video of NCP chief Ajit Pawar for the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls was recorded on January 24 at his official residence of Devgiri in Mumbai. The video is for votes and media. It is an original video,” said NCP leader Anand Paranjpe.

The elections of 12 zila parishads and Panchayat Samitis were scheduled for February 5, but they were postponed after Ajit Pawar’s death. The election is now scheduled for February 7 and the results will be declared on February 9.

On the insistence of Ajit Pawar, the NCP and NCP(SP) had forged a pre-poll alliance for the ongoing civic polls and Ajit Pawar himself led the campaign to retain political hold of NCP in the rural area of Maharashtra. Both NCPs had decided to contest on the party’s symbol, the clock, to avoid confusion among voters as the BJP had posed a stiff challenge to the party.

Also Read | In the absence of Ajit Pawar, NCP-NCP(SP) combine has to look for someone to lead in ZP, panchayat samiti polls

In a tweet, Rohit Pawar said, “It was for the election campaign … that Ajit Pawar was travelling when his plane crashed and we lost him. Everyone is aware that due to this sad incident, the Pawar family, despite the advance planning, could not carry out an election campaign for any of our candidates in the election.”

“Thus, it is a request to all voters of Zila Parishads where the elections are scheduled to consider this appropriate time to cooperate in supporting the ideology of Ajit Pawar by remembering him and it will be a true homage to the deceased leader by carrying forward his legacy of thoughts,” he said.

The NCP and NCP(SP) had declared that they would not hold an election campaign through rallies or meetings. Candidates were only urged to distribute pamphlets among voters at their doorsteps to seek their votes.

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Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also declared that he would not participate in the election campaign for the BJP or its alliance partner’s candidates citing Ajit’s death. The BJP has also decided that it would not celebrate its victory in the election of Mayors and deputy Mayors in various municipal corporations of the state.

“There will not be any celebration of the victory of the BJP candidate for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the Pune civic body,” said city BJP chief Dheeraj Ghate.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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