Will Return To Sharad Pawar Fold Aid Pandurang Barora's Chances In Shahapur? (image:facebook.com/pandurang.barora.5/)

Shahapur, Maharashtra: In the upcoming Assembly elections, Pandurang Barora is contesting from Shahapur constituency on the NCP (SCP) ticket. He is fielded against Daulat Daroda of the NCP (Ajit Pawar).

In 2014 Assembly polls, Barora contested from Shahapur constituency on a NCP ticket and won. He defeated Daulat Daroda, then part of Shiv Sena, by a margin of 5,544 votes. His father, Mahadu Barora, represented Shahapur constituency four times—in 1980, 1985, 1990, and 2004. Mahadu shared a close relationship with NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar. Pandurang was also considered a steadfast supporter and loyalist of Pawar and a confidante of Ajit Pawar.

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But, in 2019, giving a massive blow to the NCP, Barora submitted his resignation as a legislator and joined Shiv Sena along with his workers. Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde played an influential role in Barora’s induction into the party fold. In the 2019 assembly polls, he sought his second term from Shahapur as a Sena nominee but lost. Daulat Daroda, who contested on the NCP ticket, won the election with 76,053 votes, while Barora garnered 60,949 votes.

In last October, he left Shiv Sena and joined the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP, saying he is returning home again. He apologised for moving to Shiv Sena and said, “I apologise to all NCP office bearers that I left the NCP party and joined Shiv Sena in 2019,” the Marathi Times reports. He recalled the old family bond with Sharad Pawar and his obligation towards the latter.

As Barora is contesting as a NCP (SCP) nominee, sitting MLA Daroda is contesting on an NCP (Ajit Pawar) ticket this time. The direct contest between Barora and Daroda happened in previous elections as well. Daroda represented Shahapur four times: in 1995, 1999, 2009, and 2019. Shahapur assembly segment is ST reserve seat and is located in Thane district.

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The 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra will go to polls on November 20 and counting of votes will take place on November 23. The Assembly elections mark first one in the state after Shiv Sena and  NCP split in 2022, and 2023 respectively.