GG News Bureau
Maharashtra,28 june-In a symbolic yet significant development in Maharashtra’s political landscape, Deputy Chief Minister and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) leader Ajit Pawar has emerged victorious in the elections to the Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Mill — a bastion long considered a stronghold of his uncle, Sharad Pawar. With Ajit’s panel securing 20 out of 21 board seats, the verdict signals a dramatic power shift in the cooperative sector, once firmly under the elder Pawar’s control.
The election, held in Baramati district — the Pawar family’s political turf — was seen as a test of strength between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP): the original party now led by Sharad Pawar under the banner NCP(SP), and the breakaway group led by Ajit Pawar, who aligned with the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra last year.
While cooperative societies like sugar mills and banks have traditionally served as the Pawars’ grassroots machinery, enabling them to maintain deep rural connections and political influence, this latest defeat underlines the gradual erosion of Sharad Pawar’s clout in the cooperative sector. Once hailed as the architect of Maharashtra’s cooperative model, Sharad Pawar is now witnessing his legacy being dismantled by none other than his nephew.
Sources within the NCP(SP) concede that the Malegaon loss is not just numerical but psychological. “This was not just an election to a cooperative board, it was a battle for relevance,” said a senior leader on condition of anonymity. The fact that Ajit Pawar could wrest control in Baramati — often seen as the fortress of Sharad Pawar — sends a loud message that rural support is shifting.
Political analysts suggest that Ajit’s growing dominance in the cooperatives is part of a broader strategy to consolidate power ahead of the 2024 assembly elections. “By winning control over the sugar cooperatives, Ajit is not only claiming legacy but also resources, manpower, and narrative,” said political commentator Abhay Deshpande.
Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar’s supporters argue that their leader is fighting with limited institutional backing and administrative support. Ever since the Election Commission awarded the NCP name and symbol to Ajit’s faction, Sharad Pawar has been in political and logistical catch-up mode.
The fallout of this cooperative takeover could be far-reaching. Cooperative banks and mills often influence voter mood in rural Maharashtra, and control over them can determine electoral success. With Ajit Pawar now firmly establishing his grip over these institutions, he appears poised to reshape the rural political dynamics in his favour — while Sharad Pawar struggles to regain lost ground.
The Malegaon result, therefore, is more than just a local victory — it is a clear indication of the changing political tide within Maharashtra’s powerful cooperative ecosystem.
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