Mumbai: Baramati should get a new MLA, said Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar in the wake of the forthcoming Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls, and in the backdrop of the defeat of his wife Sunetra Pawar in the Lok Sabha elections.
“I am now 65, I am satisfied. Baramati should get a new MLA, then you can compare my career and work from 1991-2024,” said Ajit Pawar, who is a one-time Lok Sabha MP from Baramati and a seven-time sitting MLA from the same place.
“I ensured the all-round development of Baramati. I brought the maximum funds for Baramati,” said Ajit Pawar.
Ajit Pawar, who was mentored by his uncle Sharad Pawar, rebelled in June-July 2023 and switched over to the BJP-led NDA camp resigning as Leader of the Opposition in Legislative Assembly to become the Deputy Chief Minister for the fifth record time.
Later, he successfully claimed the original NCP party and the iconic clock symbol, while Sharad Pawar’s party now is known as NCP (SP) and holds the man-blowing-tutari symbol.
In the Lok Sabha polls, Ajit Pawar fielded his wife Sunetra Pawar from Baramati against Sharad Pawar’s daughter and sitting MP Supriya Sule, who won the polls for the record fourth time.
Later, the NCP, with the help of BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, secured a Rajya Sabha berth for Sunetra Pawar.
About his constituency, Ajit Pawar said that development work worth more than Rs 750 crore is going on in Baramati. “Previously, the roads in Baramati were in poor condition. A lot has changed. Now, work is ongoing to improve the remaining roads.”
Last month, Ajit Pawar said that it was a blunder to have fielded Sunetra Pawar from Baramati. “…I love all my sisters. One should not allow politics to come inside homes..I made a mistake in fielding her (Sunetra Pawar) against my sister (Supriya Sule). This should not have happened. But the Parliamentary board made a decision. Now, I feel it was wrong," Pawar had said.
Earlier, Ajit Pawar had dropped hints of fielding his son Jay from Baramati. “It is a democracy. I am not interested (in contesting elections) as I have contested seven or eight elections. If the people and supporters want, the parliamentary board and the local party unit in Baramati will decide the candidate for Baramati and take a call,” Ajit Pawar had said when asked if Jay Pawar would be contesting the elections.