The fiercely contested elections for the Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Factory in Baramati, held on June 22, are witnessing high political drama as early vote counting shows a clear edge for the panel backed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
While both Ajit Pawar and MP Supriya Sule turned out to cast their votes, Sharad Pawar—the patriarch of the Pawar political family—chose to abstain, drawing considerable public and media attention.
As of the latest reports, counting of votes is still underway, but Ajit Pawar’s influence appears dominant. Early trends suggest that all three key candidates from his panel are leading. Furthermore, out of the total positions, 16 candidates from the Neelkantheshwar panel, also led by Ajit Pawar, are reportedly ahead in the race.
In contrast, the Taware Sahakar Bachao panel has seen four of its candidates taking a lead in their respective segments.
The first round of vote counting has been completed. While Ajit Pawar's panel has surged ahead, the margin remains tight in several seats. A close contest is unfolding between the Neelkantheshwar and Taware panels, making the final outcome highly anticipated.
With the remaining rounds of counting expected to conclude soon, political observers and local stakeholders are eagerly watching to see whether Ajit Pawar's panel will maintain its momentum or if the Taware faction will mount a comeback.