Supriya Sule files nomination papers from baramati.
Credit: X/@ANI
Mumbai: Stage is all set for the mother of all electoral battles during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra with Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar - both members of the huge closely-knit Pawar-clan filing nomination papers from Baramati, on Thursday.
It's clearly an eyeball-to-eyeball conflict between NCP and NCP (SP), where the state’s numero uno political family is involved in a battle-of-nerves.
Located around 260 kms away from Mumbai, Baramati in Pune district is part of the Western Maharashtra, one 7 May during the Phase-3 of the Lok Sabha polls.
In Baramati, its a direct contest between Supriya Sule, the three-time sitting MP and her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, the wife of her cousin Ajit Pawar.
In June-July 2023, Ajit Pawar has rebelled against his uncle and mentor Sharad Pawar and walked to the BJP-led NDA camp to become the Deputy Chief Minister for the record fifth time.
Later, Ajit Pawar, who anointed himself as the NCP President, successfully claimed the real NCP party and the iconic clock symbol, whereas Sharad Pawar’s outfit is now known as NCP (SP) and man-blowing-tutari symbol.
Along with Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar also filed a separate set of nomination papers for the seat as a back-up plan in case Sunetra Pawar’s nomination does not stand scrutiny or any discrepancy is found in it.
Before the filing of nominations at Council Hall, the Maha Yuti (NDA) and Maha Vikas Aghadi (I.N.D.I.A) held election rallies in Pune.
“My fight is ideological and not political. You can see the records of last 18 years in the Parliament. After seeing my work, my merit, I am confident that the public will definitely stand with me,” said Supriya Sule.
Senior Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Dr Vishwajeet Kadam accompanied Supriya Sule.
When Sunetra Pawar filed the nominations, those who accompanied her include Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, RPI (A) founder and union minister Ramdas Athawale and NCP Working President Praful Patel.
Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sunetra Pawar said: "Be it infrastructure, building of roads, Chandrayaan, Modi has been instrumental in doing tremendous work and that is why he is in the minds of the people.”
For over five decades, Baramati has been controlled by the Pawar-family, which have always been unanimous over the candidature. However, with the split in the 25-year-old NCP and Ajit Pawar commanding more MPs and MLAs, the situation has changed.
LOK SABHA
1957: Keshavrao Jedhe - Congress
1960: Gulabrao Jedhe - Congress
1962: Gulabrao Jedhe - Congress
1967: Tulsidas Jadhav - Congress
1971: R K Khadilkar - Congress
1977: Sambhajirao Kakade - Janata Party
1980: Shankarrao Patil - Congress
1984: Sharad Pawar - Congress (S)
1985: Sambhajirao Kakade - Janata Party
1989: Shankarrao Patil - Congress
1991: Ajit Pawar - Congress
1991: Sharad Pawar - Congress
1994: Bapusaheb Thite - Congress
1996: Sharad Pawar - Congress
1998: Sharad Pawar - Congress
1999: Sharad Pawar - NCP
2004: Sharad Pawar - NCP
2009: Supriya Sule - NCP
2014: Supriya Sule - NCP
2019: Supriya Sule- NCP
VIDHAN SABHA
1962: Maltibai Shirole - Congress
1967: Sharad Pawar - Congress
1972: Sharad Pawar - Congress
1978: Sharad Pawar - Congress
1980: Sharad Pawar - INC (U)
1985: Sharad Pawar - Congress (S)
1990: Sharad Pawar - Congress
1991: Ajit Pawar - Congress
1995: Ajit Pawar - Congress
1999: Ajit Pawar - NCP
2004: Ajit Pawar - NCP
2009: Ajit Pawar - NCP
2014: Ajit Pawar - NCP
2019: Ajit Pawar - NCP