Pune: A viral video on the internet showed witty scenes of fun banter between Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister & NCP chief Ajit Pawar and his nephew Rohit Pawar, who was recently elected as the MLA of the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency.
During a program in Karad recently, Ajit Pawar and Rohit came face to face. The NCP chief humorously remarked to Rohit that if he had conducted a campaign rally there, the results would've been something else. Rohit, who touched Ajit Pawar’s feet during their meeting, was congratulated on his victory. Ajit jokingly added, "You were lucky this time."
‘दर्शन घे काकाचं, माझी सभा झाली असती तर काय झालं असतं?’ अजित पवार रोहित पवार समोरा समोर भेटले अन् काय घडलं… pic.twitter.com/747A4B4Wb2
— Pritam Purohit (@Pritampurohit31) November 25, 2024
Rohit Clinches Karjat-Jamkhed Seat By Narrow Margin
Sharad Pawar's grandson and Ajit Pawar's nephew, Rohit Pawar, narrowly secured victory In the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Elections.
Rohit Pawar won the seat by a slim margin of 1,243 votes, defeating BJP's Ram Shinde. Rohit received 1,27,676 votes, while Shinde secured 1,26,433. An independent candidate, Rohit Chandrakant, garnered 3,489 votes. The election saw a close contest, with reports during the final counting rounds initially suggesting Rohit might lose. However, a recount confirmed his win. A total of 11 candidates contested from this seat.
Power Shift In Karjat-Jamkhed After Pawar's Entry
Historically, the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency has been a BJP stronghold. Before Rohit’s victory in 2019, the BJP dominated this seat for five consecutive terms. Sadasiv Lokhande won thrice in 1995, 2000 and 2005, while Ram Shinde triumphed in 2009 and 2014. However, Rohit Pawar's entry in 2019 dismantled this long-standing dominance, marking a shift in political influence in the region.
Rohit, a third-generation politician, comes from a family deeply rooted in politics. He is the grandson of Dinkarrao Govindrao Pawar, elder brother of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar. His opponent, Ram Shinde, is a seasoned politician who previously served as a Member of the Legislative Council and Maharashtra’s Water Conservation Minister. Shinde represented this seat in 2009 and 2014, further cementing his political experience.