India, June 26 -- Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has firmly reasserted his hold over the Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Factory in Baramati, as the Nilkantheshwar panel backed by him secured a dominant victory, winning 20 out of the 21 seats in the board of directors' election. The results were declared on Wednesday evening.

A total of four panels were in the fray, but the contest primarily played out between three-the Nilkantheshwar panel promoted by Ajit Pawar's camp in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Sahakar Bachav panel led by Chandradeo Taware, and another panel led by Chandrarao Taware, backed by Sharad Pawar's NCP faction. While the Sahakar Bachav panel managed to win just one seat, the panel associated with Sharad Pawar s...