Pune, Oct 24 (PTI) The NCP (SP) on Thursday announced the candidature of Yugendra Pawar against his uncle and Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar from Baramati as the party released its first list of 45 candidates for the November 20 state assembly elections.
Ajit Pawar, who became president of the Nationalist Congress Party after parting ways with his uncle and party founder Sharad Pawar last year, is the sitting MLA from the Baramati assembly constituency in Pune district. His party has already announced that Ajit would contest from his traditional seat.
Yugendra (32) is the son of Ajit Pawar's younger brother Shrinivas Pawar.
Others in the NCP (SP) list included its state chief Jayant Patil (Islampur), Jitendra Awhad (Mumbra-Kalwa), Anil Deshmukh (Katol), Harshvardhan Patil (Indapur) and late NCP politician R R Patil's son Rohit Patil who is making a debut (Tasgaon-Kavthemahankal).
Notably, in the Lok Sabha elections Ajit Pawar's wife and NCP candidate Sunetra Pawar had polled 5,73,979 votes in Baramati parliamentary constituency, losing to her sister-in-law and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule who got 7,32,312 votes.
Jayant Patil announced the first list of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates at a press conference here.
Yugendra was selected as candidate on the demand of the people of Baramati, he said to a question.
"I interacted with local people and party workers. According to them, Yugendra is a new face and can take everyone along. We thought he would be the best choice from our side. The way people are supporting him, there will be a different result this time," Patil said.
Reacting to the announcement, Yugendra Pawar said he was thankful to party supremo Sharad Pawar for putting faith in him. He will work with complete dedication, he added.
Yugendra Pawar said he would highlight issues in the constituency like water scarcity, unemployment, farmers not getting right prices for their produce etc.
"Corruption is on the rise in Baramati. Crime too is increasing. There are many issues, including the atrocities against women, and we will work on these issues closely," he said.
Asked about the impending contest with his uncle Ajit Pawar, he said what happened in the Lok Sabha polls in Baramati should not have happened, a reference to the Supriya Sule versus Sunetra Pawar contest.
Patil said the rest of the names will be announced in Mumbai on Friday.