The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) once again came face to face. Voting for the Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Mill election in Baramati, Pune district, was completed peacefully on Sunday. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar himself is contesting in this crucial poll. Voting was held to elect the 21-member board of directors of the Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Mill. The results will be announced on June 24.
This election is significant because Ajit Pawar is personally contesting for the post of chairman of Malegaon Mill — a rare move after more than four decades. He is one of the 90 candidates. The election is not contested on party lines but through various panels.
Ajit Pawar represents the "Neelkantheshwar Panel," which currently controls the sugar mill. However, his path is not easy, as he is facing stiff competition from his uncle Sharad Pawar’s faction. While Sharad Pawar is not contesting directly, his faction has fielded candidates under the "Baliraja Sahakar Bachao" panel, making the contest triangular. Apart from this, the "Sahakar Bachao" panel is also in the fray.
The Sharad Pawar-led panel has fielded 20 candidates, while the Neelkantheshwar Panel has fielded 21. Only farmers who are members and shareholders of the Malegaon sugar mill — approximately 20,000 — are eligible to vote in this election. They will decide who takes charge of the mill's leadership.
With voting concluded peacefully, all eyes are now on the results. To ensure transparency and security, activists have decided to guard the area around the counting centre overnight. The local administration has installed CCTV cameras and deployed a police team for round-the-clock patrolling. The counting of votes will begin on the morning of June 24, and the outcome could have major implications for the political dynamics in the region.