States » WestPosted at: Oct 31 2026 6:50PM


NCP (SP faction) launches protest against four projects at Ujani dam; BJP plans counter-mobilisation

Pune, Oct 31 (UNI) The political confrontation over four proposed projects at Ujani Dam, including an AI data centre, has intensified, with the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction launching a road blockade on Saturday to oppose the projects.
NCP MLA Rohit Pawar joined the protest at Ranjani village in Madha taluka, where protesters blocked the Pune-Solapur National Highway.
The BJP, meanwhile, is preparing a counter-protest in support of the projects under the leadership of MLAs Sachin Kalyanshetti and Devendra Kothe.
The developments have raised the possibility of a direct confrontation between the BJP and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction over the proposed investments.
The four projects, involving a proposed investment of Rs 1.65 lakh crore, include an AI data centre, floating solar panels, a small nuclear power plant and a green hydrogen project.
Speaking at the protest, Rohit Pawar questioned the government's claims regarding the projects' water requirements and accused the Chief Minister and the administration of misleading people.
He said the water requirements of the data centre had already been presented by his party and reiterated his opposition to the AI data centre and nuclear power plant at Ujani.
Let the BJP do whatever it wants. Our commitment is to farmers, Pawar said, questioning why the projects were being proposed at Ujani if they required so little water.
He clarified that his party was not opposed to development but expressed concern over the limited employment opportunities expected from the projects.
According to him, the projects would provide jobs to only around 400 people.
A day earlier, Pawar had raised serious questions about the government's intentions, arguing that Ujani Dam was established as part of former Chief Minister Yashwantrao Chavan's vision.
Drawing a parallel with the controversy surrounding development activities near Bhimashankar, he questioned whether there was an attempt to damage Ujani Dam as well.
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Tags: #NCP (SP faction) launches protest against four projects at Ujani dam; BJP plans counter-mobilisation
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