Mahayuti will get 175 seats

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is facing perhaps his toughest electoral challenge yet.

- DNYANESH JATHAR

What should have been a cakewalk has become a closely contested race between Ajit and his younger brother’s son Yugendra Pawar.

Educated in the US, Yugendra has a degree in finance. He was by the side of his grand uncle, former chief minister Sharad Pawar, during the Lok Sabha polls when Ajit fielded his wife, Sunetra, against Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule. Supriya won, and Ajit later expressed regret for involving his family in politics. But now, Ajit told THE WEEK, Sharad Pawar was making the same mistake. So be it, he said, adding that he is confident of winning with a comfortable margin.

Edited excerpts from an interview:

Q/ The Mahayuti has completed two and a half years in power. What are the achievements of the government?

Since this government came to power, the Centre has granted allocations that were previously lacking. Work on national highways and metro projects, and the expansion and development of airport terminals, have gained momentum. The expansion of the Pune airport terminal, costing ₹500 crore, was done on war footing after the acquisition of defence land.

We also made substantial budgetary provisions to benefit people, and completed work on the Coastal Road and the Atal Setu. Work on the Samruddhi Highway, a dream project of former chief minister and current deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, picked up speed because of his good relations with the Centre.

Earlier, strained Centre-state relations—stemming from the Shiv Sena breaking ties with the BJP and deciding to form government with its opponents—led to delays in approving projects. Amicable Centre-state relations lead to faster approvals. During those two and a half years, projects could not move forward.