Mumbai: Baramati, considered as the fiefdom of Pawar family, has now become a bone of contention between the two warring factions of the NCP led by Sharad Pawar and his cousin Ajit Pawar. Maharashtra women’s commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar, who has now joined the Ajit Pawar NCP faction, on Monday said that the NDA will win the Baramati Lok Sabha seat in 2024.
Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, is a three-time MP from Baramati constituency. Ever since Ajit Pawar caused a vertical split in the NCP to join hands with the BJP-Shinde alliance government in Maharashtra, there has been immense interest about who will be fielded against Sule. There are reports that Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra and her son Parth might contest from Baramati.
The Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP is part of the INDIA bloc, a group of 28 Opposition parties, which has decided to fight unitedly against the BJP-led NDA.
Saying that the NDA would win the Baramati seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chakankar said the Sule’s victories in the last 15 years from Baramati were solely due to Ajit Pawar’s efforts.
Asked whether Sule had won in the last 15 years because of Ajit Pawar, she said, “It is very much true. She (Sule) was elected in the last 15 years as the MP because of Ajitdada.”
Taking a dig at Sule, Chankankar said, “Some people will have to station themselves in Baramati to ensure their victory. When Ajitdada campaigned, they (Sule) had to be in the constituency only on the days of voting and counting. Now Ajitdada will not be there with them and therefore, they will have to ensure that they remain stationed in Baramati for 10 months. Those who speak against Ajitdada should now stop doing that and start concentrating on their work.”
