Sindkhed Raja (Buldhana): In a dramatic political turnaround, a last-minute change in candidature proved decisive and rewrote history in Sindkhed Raja. Saurabh Vijay Tayde (21) has been elected as the youngest municipal council president in Maharashtra, scripting a remarkable chapter in local self-governance at the historic town known as the birthplace of Rajmata Jijau, mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.Representing the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), Tayde defeated Shyam Kisanrao Mehetre of the NCP (Ajit Pawar) by a margin of 169 votes. Tayde secured 4,287 votes, while Mehetre polled 4,118 votes. Atish Balaji Tayde of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) finished third with 3,464 votes.What makes the victory even more significant is the dramatic political backdrop. The proposed candidate of Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) changed allegiance at the last moment, forcing the party to take a bold decision. Trusting youth over experience, the NCP handed the mayoral ticket to first-time contestant Tayde.A postgraduate in Chemistry (MSc) and currently pursuing BEd, Tayde faced stiff competition from an influential line-up of senior leaders, including MLA Manoj Kayande, minority wing state president Nazeer Qazi, former municipal president Devidas Thakre, and Shiv Sena (Shinde) leader Satish Tayde and a direct face-off between both factions of the NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde addressed a major campaign rally in Sindkhed Raja, while Sharad Pawar faction did not hold a single public meeting nor send any senior leader to campaign in the town. Yet, defying conventional political wisdom, Tayde clinched victory — underscoring the electorate’s faith in youthful leadership.The municipal council strength stands as NCP (Sharad Pawar) 8 seats, NCP (Ajit Pawar) 6 seats, Shiv Sena (Shinde) 5 seats and BJP (ally) 1. With this result, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP has emerged as the single largest party.Following his election as the first citizen of the historic town, Tayde expressed determination to focus on urban development, education, and youth-centric initiatives. “Despite the challenges and strong opposition, I fought this election with confidence and the belief that the people would support honest and educated leadership,” he said.Notably, Tayde is set to appear for his BEd postgraduate examination in the coming days, making his achievement even more extraordinary.Political observers see this result as a symbolic shift toward generational change in Maharashtra’s local governance, where age-old political strongholds are increasingly being challenged by young, educated leaders.
