MUMBAI: Baramati, long synonymous with the Pawar name, may see another member of the family step into the political spotlight.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s younger son, Jay Pawar, is said to be considering a run in the Baramati Municipal Council elections on December 2, alongside other municipal council polls in Maharashtra. Ajit and Jay have not officially confirmed the development.
Reacting to the speculation, NCP (SP) Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule said it was an internal matter of Ajit’s NCP faction to decide “whom to field and not field” in the Baramati municipal elections.
Sources close to the Pawar family said the president’s post in the Baramati Municipal Council is unreserved this year and open to a general category candidate. This could provide an opportunity for Jay Pawar to contest and strengthen his father’s party base in the local body polls.
Ajit’s elder son, Parth Pawar, contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Maval constituency but lost to Shiv Sena MP Shrirang Barne. His wife, Sunetra Pawar, also contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramati against Supriya Sule but lost by over 1.5 lakh votes. She was later nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Ajit, however, retained his Baramati assembly seat in 2024 asembly elections, defeating his nephew Yugendra Pawar by over one lakh votes.
Sources said Ajit and his family are gauging public response to the prospect of Jay’s candidature.
“If there is no opposition or criticism, Jay Pawar may file his nomination in these local body polls as his father’s political heir. It will also be interesting to see if his grandfather, Sharad Pawar, gives him a cakewalk or fields a strong candidate from his party. Sharad Pawar may surprise with new names,” said a political observer.