MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday warned that he might step back from elections if Baramati voters choose differently in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls, despite his extensive development efforts.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader also expressed his frustration over the defeat of his spouse, Sunetra Pawar, from Baramati in this year's Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking at an event in his assembly constituency, Pawar expressed his discontent with the electoral choices in Baramati, adding, "I have done everything possible for Baramati’s development. Despite this, if voters decide to elect a different MP in the Lok Sabha elections, I too am human and have feelings. So, you should also elect a different MLA in the upcoming state assembly elections."
Reflecting on his political career, Ajit said, "I am 65 years old today, and I am satisfied with my achievements. If Baramati wants to choose a different MLA, I am ready for that. If you're planning to take a different decision in the state assembly elections, I will keep my distance. You should compare my work from 1999 to 2024 with anyone else's."
Earlier, Ajit Pawar had cautioned his party leaders against letting politics and elections divide families, reflecting on his own suffering and expressing a desire to prevent similar experiences for others.
This marks the second time in less than a month that Pawar has publicly acknowledged a mistake in fielding his wife against NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, the daughter of his uncle Sharad Pawar, and emphasised that politics should not intrude into family matters.
The Ajit-led NCP faced a significant defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, losing three of four constituencies, including Baramati, where Sunetra was defeated by Sule. In contrast, the Sharad Pawar-led faction won eight out of ten seats contested.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Deputy CM emphasised the importance of party workers, saying they are the backbone of the NCP.
"Success in elections or any program completely depends on the effort of the party workers. If they work hard, we achieve success; if they don't, things may turn out differently. Whatever I am today is because of the efforts of party workers. Their role was crucial in my journey from MLA to Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra," he said.
Ajit also pointed out that Baramati has received significant infrastructure improvements without any demands.
"Baramati gets everything, from medical colleges to roads, without asking. I wake up early in the morning to ensure this work is done, yet some people joke about it. I don’t know what more I can do. If we remain out of power, we will miss out on further development," he said.
Notably, Ajit has been MLA of Baramati since 1991, with his victory in the 2019 assembly polls over the BJP's Gopichand Padalkar, coming with a record margin of 1.65 lakh votes.