14 October,2026 10:56 AM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
Sunetra Pawar. Pic/X
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, has defeated rival panels backed by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and a rebel candidate in the election to the Someshwar Cooperative Sugar Factory in Pune district.
Sunetra Pawar's panel won all 21 seats in the election, the results of which were declared on Tuesday. The contest was the first major electoral battle in the cooperative sector since the death of NCP president Ajit Pawar and was widely viewed as a test of Sunetra Pawar's leadership.
The defeat was particularly significant for the NCP (SP), whose chief Sharad Pawar campaigned in drought-affected areas within the factory's operational region. The panel backed by his party finished third in the contest.
The Someshwar Cooperative Sugar Factory is located in the Baramati region, a stronghold of the Pawar family. The factory had previously been controlled by a panel backed by Ajit Pawar.
Reacting to the results, Sunetra Pawar said, "This victory is the result of the work (Ajit) Dada has done over the years. The farmers here have honoured his efforts by extending their support."
The result gives Sunetra Pawar's group a decisive victory in a key cooperative institution in the region, where the Pawar family has maintained a strong political presence.
Three panels contested the election. The NCP-backed Shri Someshwar Vikas Purush Ajitdada Pawar panel faced the NCP (SP)-backed Someshwar Shetkari Vikas panel and the Loknete Ajitdada Someshwar Vikas panel led by Purushottam Jagtap, who received support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Candidates from Sunetra Pawar's panel secured more than 12,000 votes each, while those backed by Jagtap received an average of 5,500 to 6,000 votes. Candidates supported by the NCP (SP) polled around 2,500 votes on average.
The figures indicate a clear lead for Sunetra Pawar's panel over both rival groups.
Of the sugar factory's 27,625 members, 23,393 cast their votes, registering a turnout of 84.25 per cent.
The high participation rate made the election a significant contest for the groups seeking control of the cooperative institution. The results also highlighted the difference in support received by the three panels.
Jagtap, who served as the factory's chairman for 13 years, broke ranks with the NCP and fielded a separate panel with BJP support.
Meanwhile, the NCP (SP) campaign was led by Yugendra Pawar, the son of Ajit Pawar's younger brother and grandnephew of Sharad Pawar. Sharad Pawar also toured drought-affected areas in the factory's operational region during the campaign.
(With inputs from PTI)
