Mumbai: A day after the Ajit Pawar faction announced candidature of Sunetra Pawar, Supriya Sule on Sunday called it a low level politics by the BJP. She said that the BJP wants to defeat Sharad Pawar in Baramati and stop development of the area.
The Sharad Pawar faction on Saturday announced its first five candidates including Supriya Sule, who was renominated from the Baramati Lok Sabha Parliamentary constituency. On the same day, the Ajit Pawar faction also announced Sunetra’s candidature from the Baramati seat.
Speaking with the reporters in Pune, Ms. Sule said that the fight between her and Sunetra Pawar in Baramati is the BJP’s ploy to politically finish off Sharad Pawar. “The BJP leaders do not want to do any constructive and development work. Their only target is Sharad Pawar, who is Buland Awaz (strong voice) of Maharashtra in Delhi,” she said.
Mr. Sule, who is a three-term MP from Baramati and seeking the fourth term, is expected to face the toughest battle of her political career from her sister-in-law. She said that the BJP did not get any other candidate to defeat Sharad Pawar and therefore fielded her sister-in-law. “In our culture, an elder sister-in-law is considered like a mother. She is like my mother as she is my elder brother’s wife. Sunetra Pawar is a civilized and cultured woman. I am always going to give her respect,” she said.
The NCP leader also alleged that the BJP is trying to divide Marathi people for its political gain.
The Baramati constituency in Pune district comprising Baramati, Indapur, Daund, Purandar, Bhor, and Khadakwasla assembly segments has been a bastion of Sharad Pawar since the 1960s. Ajit Pawar has been an MLA from Baramati since 1991, with his victory in 2019 being among the most crushing in the state's poll history. Ajit Pawar also used to play a key role in Ms. Sule’s victories in the past polls by ensuring that the vote bank of the Pawars remained unaffected.
This time, Sharad Pawar (83) has also been touring the constituency and holding meetings with various groups to leave nothing for chance.
The date of voting for the Baramati Lok Sabha Constituency in the 2024 general election is May 13, which is the fourth phase of the election. The deadline for filing nominations for the Baramati seat is April 25.
