14 hours Ago By Anurag Bende
Pune: The split in NCP, families related to it and also party workers led to heavy polling in 38 constituencies where its two factions were in straight fights in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly election. Most of these seats logged over 70% voter turnout, higher than the state's average of 66%. The direct faceoff between Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SCP) was seen mostly in western Maharashtra — the state's sugar belt.
When voting for the state assembly ended on Wednesday, Kagal constituency logged 82.5% polling, highest among the 38 seats where NCP and NCP (SCP) were in direct fight. Kagal witnessed a contest between NCP minister Hasan Mushrif and NCP (SCP)'s Samarjeetsinh Ghatge.
Baramati assembly constituency, where deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar is challenged by nephew Yugendra, the NCP (SCP)'s, nominee, also registered a rise in turnout — from 68.8% in 2019 assembly elections to 71.6% this time.
Political observers are of the view that both factions of NCP tried to keep their parties relevant and stretched themselves to reach out to maximum voters. Prakash Pawar, a political analyst, told TOI, "After the split in NCP, senior functionaries of both factions of the party visited every nook and cranny of Baramati to protect their bastion. Till the last assembly election, not many saw the Pawar families getting into hectic campaign mode in Baramati.
But this time, both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar visited even the remotest villages in Baramati to establish a connection with the villagers. These visits seem to have paid off, as the voter turnout in the rural parts of Baramati improved." Indapur, the neighbouring constituency of Baramati where NCP MLA Datta Bharne is being challenged by NCP (SCP) nominee and former cabinet minister Harshvardhan Patil, logged 76.
9% turnout. Though it was slightly up from 76.4% turnout in the 2019 polls, polling in the constituency was maximum in Pune district.
Besides Bharne and Patil, a rebel from NCP (SCP), Pravin Mane, is also in the fray from Indapur. "Bharne is eyeing a hat-trick from Indiapur, and Ajit Pawar has put all his might behind him. On the other hand, this election will decide the political future of Harshvardhan.
He has not left any stone unturned to get voters on his side. The result is the high voter turnout," a senior NCP member told TOI. Ambegaon constituency, where Sharad Pawar appealed to voters to ensure defeat of sitting MLA and his once close associate Dilip Walse Patil, witnessed nearly a 3% rise in turnout this time.
In the last election, the constituency recorded 66.9% polling. This time, 70.
5% voters went out to exercise their franchise. Walse Patil is facing the challenge from NCP (SCP)'s Devdatta Nikam. "After the split in the original NCP, the vote share also got divided.
Most of the candidates fielded by Ajit Pawar's party are established politicians, and they have their own vote share. The rise in the voting percentage indicates that the increased share might have gone towards NCP (SCP)," Prakash Pawar said. A similar trend was witnessed in Islampur constituency of Sangli district.
The seat, where sitting MLA and NCP (SCP) state president Jayant Patil is contesting against NCP's Nishikant Patil, logged 74.7% voting, In the same district, Tasgaon Kavathe-Mahankal recorded 75% polling. Sharad Pawar had pitched former home minister late R R Patil's son, Rohit, against NCP's Sanjay Patil, in the seat that had logged 68.
2% polling in the 2019 elections. "Sharad Pawar did not have many established faces to field. To challenge Ajit Pawar, the veteran politician fielded new faces on many of these seats.
These new candidates also added their own voters," Prakash Pawar said..
