Maharashtra (Pune): Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra Pawar, who is the NCP candidate from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar cast their votes in the constituency on Tuesday morning.
Polling began at 7 am for the third phase of elections in 11 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including Baramati, where NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule is pitted against Sunetra Pawar.
Sharad Pawar was welcomed with the traditional "aarti" as he arrived at a polling booth in Malegaon area of Baramati constituency in Pune district.
The veteran politician stood in a queue before casting his vote at the booth. He later left for his Govindbaug residence near Baramati.
Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar cast their votes at a polling booth in Katewadi area of Baramati.
The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for polling in Baramati, where there are more than 23 lakh eligible voters.
Talking to reporters after casting his vote, Ajit Pawar, the estranged nephew of Sharad Pawar, said he has been maintaining it is not a contest between family members, but the other side is propagating that it is about the family and trying to show they are together against him.
"I want to make it clear that the senior most family member in the Pawar family is my mother Ashatai Anantrao Pawar, who is with me and the three of us today exercised our voting right," he said.
Refuting NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar's charge of money distribution in Bhor area of Baramati constituency, the deputy CM said it is the Election Commission's task to look into such things.
"I have personally contested elections seven times and never indulged in such practices. Right from the beginning of the campaign, some sections of the opposition have been making such allegations against me but I don't pay any heed to it," he said.
The person who is making such allegations has "lost his balance", the NCP leader claimed.
"I don't think I should give any importance to such a person," he said.
Ajit Pawar said the opposition leaders have sensed a "different" result and that is why they are making such allegations out of desperation.
Talking to reporters earlier in the morning, Rohit Pawar alleged that money power was being used in Bhor segment of Baramati Constituency to lure voters by "Ajit dada Mitra mandal".
He claimed a cooperative bank in Bhor was made to remain open till midnight and it could be because of the polling on Tuesday.
Rohit Pawar alleged that Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000 was being distributed per voter and the cooperative bank was being used for the purpose.
Apart from Baramati, polling is underway in 10 other Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.
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