Family first: After Sunetra and Parth, now Jay Pawar to enter electoral fray

MUmbai: Another fellow member of the Pawar fellowship may shortly get in electoral political relation, as Jay Pawar, the younger son of Sunetra Pawar and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, is tipped to contest the upcoming legislative council polls.The party leadership is considering fielding Jay Pawar from the Pune local authorities constituency which the NCP has held since 2010, party insiders told Hindustan Times.If nominated, Jay would become the third member of Sunetra and Ajit Pawar’s immediate family to enter electoral politics after the former deputy chief minister was killed in an air crash in Baramati on January 28. While Sunetra Pawar took Ajit’s place as the deputy chief minister and Baramati MLA, her elder son Parth Pawar was recently elected to the Rajya Sabha.In the legislative council elections scheduled on June 18, the NCP – as the third constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance alongside the BJP and the Shiv Sena – is expected to secure two of the 16 seats going to polls. Under the alliance’s seat-sharing arrangement, the party is keen on retaining the Pune local authorities constituency, which has been represented by NCP leader Anil Bhosale since December 2010.Several senior NCP leaders said Jay Pawar could be fielded from the seat this time, as he was well-suited to shoulder responsibility in Pune.“If he (Jay Pawar) wants to become active in Maharashtra politics, this is the best option and the right route at the moment,” a senior NCP leader said on condition of anonymity. The BJP would find it difficult to oppose his candidature, the leader said.According to senior NCP leaders, the election could provide Jay with an opportunity to build a grassroots connection and prove his political mettle. He could focus on Pune and help fill the vacuum created after the death of his father and former NCP president Ajit Pawar, as Sunetra Pawar has her own limitations, the leaders said.“Jay can assist Vahini in Pune and Baramati. He can handle much of the groundwork, as we all know she cannot travel as extensively as Ajit dada,” another senior leader said.There was currently no heavyweight claimant for the Pune seat, the leader said. “There is also no need for him to contest the Rajya Sabha polls, as Parth is already representing the family there. Jay’s candidature for the MLC elections ticks all the right boxes,” the leader noted.The development is significant as Jay had recently spoken openly about his political aspirations, saying there was a growing demand among party workers and Baramati residents that he contest the assembly election from Baramati in 2029; Sunetra Pawar was elected MLA form Baramati for the first time during the bypoll after Ajit Pawar’s death.“People of Baramati want me to contest the Baramati assembly elections in 2029. However, as a grassroots party worker, I will continue to work,” Jay Pawar told reporters on April 23.However, a fortnight later, he changed his stand.“During my recent interactions with colleagues and party workers, many said that they wanted to see Ajit dada as chief minister at least once. Now, Vahini (Sunetra Pawar) is working hard. I think she will contest the assembly elections from Baramati in 2029 and we all hope she becomes the chief minister,” he said on May 8, in response to questions from reporters.Jay has already begun holding ‘Janata Darbars’ in Baramati, a practice popularised by Ajit Pawar to directly connect with people by hearing their grievances and facilitating solutions to their problems.The Pune local bodies seat is crucial for the NCP to retain its influence in Pune and surrounding districts, where the party has been a major player for several decades despite recent penetration by the BJP. Election results of the seat also impact the entire western Maharashtra region, which was once the bastion of the NCP.Some NCP leaders expressed concerns about Jay’s likely candidature, saying it would fan the perception that all opportunities were going to the family as Parth was elected as a new Rajya Sabha member only last month.However, an NCP MLA dismissed the apprehension, saying, “Technically, Vahini (Sunetra Pawar) replaced Ajit dada in Baramati and Vahini was replaced by Parth in Rajya Sabha. So the only addition would be Jay which is bound to happen in the changing circumstances.”Other front runners for the Pune seat include former legislators Sunil Tingre and Dilip Mohite-Patil and Anil Bhosale.The NCP is also hoping to field a candidate for the legislative council polls from the Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg local authorities constituency. The seat is currently represented by NCP leader Aniket Tatkare, son of the party’s Maharashtra president Sunil Tatkare. Aniket Tatkare’s term ends on May 31.