Thu Jan 02 20:07:44 UTC 2025: ## Pawar Family Feud Shakes Maharashtra Politics: Uncle Sharad’s Legacy in Question

**Mumbai, January 3, 2025** – The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a key player in Maharashtra politics, is reeling from a deep family rift that has shaken the state’s political landscape. The feud between NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his nephew, Ajit Pawar, who recently joined the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, has dominated headlines in the lead-up to and aftermath of the 2024 Assembly elections.

The split occurred in mid-2023 when Ajit Pawar, along with a majority of NCP MLAs, defected to the Mahayuti government, leaving Sharad Pawar’s faction, NCP (SP), significantly weakened. The Election Commission awarded the original NCP name and symbol to Ajit’s faction, a major blow to the 84-year-old patriarch.

The subsequent Assembly elections saw a clear division of the vote, with Ajit Pawar’s NCP winning 41 of 56 contested seats and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) securing only 10 out of 86. This marked the first electoral loss for Sharad Pawar, a veteran politician known for his decades-long dominance in Maharashtra.

The family rift extended beyond politics, impacting the Pawars’ extensive business interests in sugar, agro-industries, and media. The internal conflict even played out within the family, most notably in Baramati, Sharad Pawar’s political stronghold, where his daughter Supriya Sule won against Ajit Pawar’s wife in the Lok Sabha election. Further fueling the tensions, Sharad Pawar fielded his grandnephew against Ajit Pawar in the state assembly elections, resulting in Ajit Pawar’s victory, but highlighting the deep divisions within the family.

Despite the setbacks, Sharad Pawar remains a powerful figure in national politics, leading a faction of the INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties. While some believe the rift is irreparable, others suggest the Pawar family’s political resilience will ultimately overcome the current divisions. The future of the NCP and the legacy of Sharad Pawar remain uncertain, leaving Maharashtra’s political scene in a state of flux.

Read More