Pawars in fray as Baramati to witness high-voltage battle

The battle lines for Baramati assembly seat were drawn on Monday after seven-time MLA and Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar as well as his nephew and Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar candidate Yugendra Pawar filed their nomination papers.

IMAGE: Maharashtra deputy CM and NCP hief Ajit Pawar being showered with flower petals during his nomination roadshow for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, in Pune, October 27, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

While the deputy CM led a massive nomination rally and waved to the crowds from an open vehicle, the process for Yugendra Pawar was low-key, with just NCP-SP supremo Sharad Pawar and Baramati MP Supriya Sule for company apart from a few supporters.

Yugendra, accompanied by Sule left Kanheri, a village which is 12 km from Baramati, after offering prayers to the 'gram daivat' (village deity) Lord Maruti. They then went to 'Aamrai', the old residence of the Pawars, where Ajit Pawar and his siblings, including Yugedra's father Srinivas Pawar, had spent considerable time.

There are so many memories attached to this place, Sule told reporters.

Incidentally, his father Srinivas Pawar had criticised Ajit Pawar for deserting Sharad Pawar, a reference to the revolt in the NCP in July last year. Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde government against the wishes of Sharad Pawar.

Srinivas Pawar had also slammed Ajit Pawar for fielding his wife Sunetra Pawar against Sule in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Sule had trounced the Deputy CM's wife by more than 1.5 lakh votes.

"After so many years, Pawar saheb, who used to file his own nomination papers, came to file mine. I am fortunate to have him by my side. It is more important to see who is behind me than the challenge in front of me. We have Pawar saheb, the most experienced politician, behind us," Yugendra Pawar told reporters.

"I will address the issues of unemployment, inflation, water scarcity and the rise in crimes and atrocities against women," he added.

The NCP-SP chief said he came to file his nomination papers 57 years ago, and since then, people of the constituency have elected him regularly.

"This happens because there is a bond with the people of Baramati. My suggestion to all the young candidates is to keep the bond with people intact. Be humble and accept the mandate with humility," he said.

On the other hand, Ajit Pawar said the people of Baramati have always supported him and this time too they would ensure his victory.

In the 2019 assembly polls, Ajit Pawar had defeated BJP's Gopichand Padalkar by a record 1.67 lakh votes. Padalkar could not save his deposit.

Incidentally, in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Sule got a lead of 47,000 over Sunetra Pawar from Baramati assembly segment.

Of the 3,77,757 voters in Baramati, some 1.86 lakh are women.