Ajit Pawar’s Challenge Fulfilled: Dnyaneshwar Katke Defeats Ashok Pawar in Pune’s Shirur Constituency

Wagholi, 24th November 2024: The political drama surrounding the Maharashtra Assembly elections reached a climax yesterday as the Mahayuti alliance celebrated a sweeping victory across the state, while the Mahavikas Aghadi faced significant setbacks. Among the many stories from the electoral battlefield, one that captured public attention was the showdown in the Shirur constituency, where Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had thrown an open challenge to a rival from his uncle Sharad Pawar’s camp.

Ajit Pawar had challenged Ashok Pawar, a leader of the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), saying, “I see how you become an MLA.” This bold statement, made during the Lok Sabha election campaign, turned into a focal point of discussion during the assembly elections.

In the fiercely contested Shirur seat, Ajit Pawar’s faction fielded Dnyaneshwar Katke, who emerged victorious with a resounding margin of 74,550 votes, securing 192,281 votes against Ashok Pawar’s 117,731 votes.

Ajit Pawar’s challenge was first issued during a public meeting in Shirur during the Lok Sabha elections. At that time, he openly criticized Ashok Pawar, mocking his ambitions to secure both an MLA seat and a ministerial position.

“I see how you become an MLA” Ajit Pawar had said, while also recounting an incident where Ashok Pawar had allegedly expressed disappointment over a cabinet decision involving Dilip Walse Patil.

Ajit Pawar claimed that Ashok Pawar had shifted allegiance to the Sharad Pawar faction in hopes of securing a ministerial position in the future. “Now, I will tell the people his real capacity,” Ajit Pawar had declared, vowing to defeat him in the Assembly elections.

With Dnyaneshwar Katke’s decisive win, Ajit Pawar’s supporters are now celebrating this victory as proof of their leader’s political prowess and ability to back up his bold claims. The success in Shirur not only reinforced Ajit Pawar’s dominance in the region but also added to the Mahayuti’s overall strong performance in the elections.