Exclusive | Ajit Pawar's NCP Likely to Get Nasik Lok Sabha Seat in Exchange for Satara

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. (File Image: X)

Ajit Pawar-led NCP is likely to get the Nasik Lok Sabha seat in exchange for Satara. Sources say that Pawar has been bargaining with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to give the seat to the NCP. Sources indicate that party MLA Chhagan Bhujbal may contest Lok Sabha election from Nasik if NCP gets the seat. In a show of strength, Bhujbal supporters gathered in large numbers in Pune while Ajit Pawar had called a meeting of his party workers. Party sources say that the final call on the Nasik seat will be taken in the Mahayuti meeting, likely on Thursday.

Shiv Sena UB chief Uddhav Thackeray has given the Nasik Lok Sabha ticket to Rajabhau Waje while talks are still underway in the Mahayuti with Shiv Sena and NCP both claiming on this seat. Along with Chhagan Bhujbal, names like former MP Devidas Pingle and Manikrao Kokate have also been discussed for the Nasik seat over the last three days at NCP meetings. Sources say that a few leaders from the party have also suggested Ajit Pawar to announce a fresh Maratha face from Nasik to attract the Maratha community’s votes. After much deliberation, party members have given all rights to finalise the candidates for Lok Sabha polls to Ajit Pawar.

However, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is adamant about not leaving their incumbent Nasik seat. Last week, Shiv Sena MP Shirkant Shinde announced that Hemant Godse will again contest from the Nasik seat. But BJP and NCP had objected to his announcement. The BJP also sent senior leader Girish Mahajan to Nasik to take stock of the situation.

Sources in the Mahayuti alliance have informed that if the NCP agrees to leave Satara Lok Sabha seat, the BJP may help them get the Nasik seat by convincing Eknath Shinde. However, the question remains as to whether Eknath Shinde will give away the Nasik seat to NCP.

Sources say that BJP Rajya Sabha MP Udayanraje Bhosale wants to contest the Satara Lok Sabha seat, which he had represented till 2019 as NCP candidate. For the past few weeks, he has been stationed in Delhi to get this seat.

A source within the Shiv Sena indicated that leaders of the party are not happy with the way the BJP is cutting the tickets of incumbent MPs. They are also worried that if the situation remains the same till Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, many incumbent MLAs will also not get tickets. The source further said that MPs and MLAs have informed the Shiv Sena leadership of this and have asked them to raise the issue in Mahayuti meetings. Sena leaders are also of the opinion that Mahayuti leadership should consider the ground reports of local leaders instead of sticking to surveys done by the BJP.