Ajit Pawar has found himself in an awkward situation following the Lok Sabha election results. In a dramatic twist, he orchestrated a split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), founded by his uncle, Sharad Pawar. Ajit, a seasoned politician with over three decades of experience, likely believed he was ready to helm the party. His confidence stemmed from years of backing numerous candidates within the NCP. However, there was one crucial element missing in his new venture: Sharad Pawar's guiding presence.
An old video of Raj Thackeray has resurfaced, capturing Thackeray’s blunt assessment of Ajit Pawar: "Where does this attitude come from? If your uncle takes his hand off your head, you will have nowhere to go." Thackeray's remark has proven prophetic, as the election results have not favored Ajit.
Throughout the campaign, Ajit Pawar maintained his aggressive stance, often coming across as overtly rude. Despite his fiery speeches, he failed to achieve the anticipated success. Ironically, the candidates he vehemently targeted all emerged victorious. Amol Kolhe from Shirur, Nilesh Lanke from Nagar, and Bajrang Sonawane from Beed won their respective seats.
During a campaign rally in Ahmednagar, Ajit Pawar issued a stark warning to Nilesh Lanke: "I will see how you become a Member of Parliament... I will finish you off." In Shirur, while campaigning against Amol Kolhe and for Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, he declared, "I will take care of you, let’s see how you get elected." In Beed, he warned Bajrang Sonawane, "Did a bit of money make you arrogant? I will take care of you now." Despite these threats, all three candidates from the Mahavikas Aghadi that Pawar menaced won their races.
Votes in the Three Constituencies:
Ahmednagar:- Nilesh Lanke: 624,797 votes- Sujay Vikhe: 595,868 votes- Winning margin: 28,929 votes
Shirur:- Amol Kolhe: 698,692 votes- Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil: 557,741 votes- Winning margin: 140,951 votes
Beed:- Bajrang Sonawane: 681,569 votes- Pankaja Munde: 674,984 votes- Winning margin: 6,585 votes
Humbled by the loss, Ajit Pawar and his party are likely introspecting on what went wrong. Among the numerous missteps, the party chief's arrogant speeches should be high on the list. If Ajit Pawar wants to make any meaningful change, he must first drop his know-it-all attitude, as it clearly doesn't resonate with the voters anymore.