Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar reaffirmed his dominance over the Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Factory in Baramati, as his Nilkantheshwar panel won 20 of 21 board seats.
Despite his powerful state role, Pawar actively campaigned, holding 18 meetings and spending over a week in the constituency.
The election was fiercely contested among four panels, mainly between Pawar’s group, the Sahakar Bachav panel, and Sharad Pawar’s faction. This marked Ajit Pawar’s return to sugar cooperative politics after nearly 40 years.
Responding to critics, he said managing local institutions in his constituency is his constitutional right. The defeated opposition acknowledged a credible fight against his strong campaign.