Maharashtra Legislative Elections 2024: Ajit Pawar’s OBC Leader Defects, Joins Sharad Pawar

In a significant political shift, Ishwar Balbudhe, a key OBC leader from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction, joined the Sharad Pawar-led opposition camp in Mumbai on Friday. He was welcomed into the party by Maharashtra NCP President Jayant Patil and NCP-SCP leader Anil Deshmukh. This defection adds to the ongoing tension between the two NCP factions.

Earlier, on September 10, NCP MLA Jayant Patil claimed that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is heavily influenced by consultants, stating, “Ajit Pawar is not the same anymore… He has hired consultants to advise him on what to say during media addresses, and they are paid significantly for their services.”

Ajit Pawar had led a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party last year in July and joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), becoming the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The split has since led to continued division within the party.

The upcoming Maharashtra legislative assembly elections, set to be contested in 288 constituencies, will see a face-off between the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, which includes UBT Shiv Sena, Congress, and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, and the Maha Yuti Alliance, consisting of BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction.

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In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Maha Vikas Aghadi emerged stronger with 30 seats, while the Mahayuti Alliance faced setbacks, securing only 17 seats, marking a tough battle ahead for both camps in the upcoming state elections.