Pawar vs Pawar: Battle for family bastion Baramati to be interesting

Mumbai: For well over five decades, the Pawar family has represented Baramati in the Pune district. However, 2024 may change the dynamics in this bustling town known for its agriculture, cooperatives, industries and the social sector.

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar (83) finds himself on one side with daughter and the party's Working President Supriya Sule (54). On the other side of the family patriarch is nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar (64).

Ajit has also anointed himself the NCP president after switching sides from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (I.N.D.I.A) to the Maha Yuti (NDA).

Ever since the rebellion within the NCP in July 2024, Ajit Pawar has hit out at his mentor and uncle over the latter’s age, suggesting that he hang up his boots. However, Sule has hit back saying that her cousin is a senior citizen himself.

On Sunday, Ajit Pawar once again hit at the NCP founder-President saying, “I do not know when some people are going to stop. There might be a sentimental appeal that this would be the last election…do not know which will be the last election. You listened to a senior (Sharad Pawar) for so many years. Now listen to me and vote for the Lok Sabha candidate I am going to field.”

This fuelled reports that Ajit Pawar would field his wife Sunetra Pawar from Baramati for the Parliamentary polls.

Sharad Pawar had won the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls from Baramati in 1967, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1985 and 1990, and Lok Sabha polls from the same constituency in 1984, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004. He won from Madha in 2009 and won two Rajya Sabha elections from his home state of Maharashtra.

The Baramati Lok Sabha seat has been represented for the last three terms by his daughter Supriya Sule.

Ajit Pawar had won the Baramati Lok Sabha elections in 1991 and later the Vidhan Sabha for seven terms - 1991, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.

For over five decades, Baramati has been controlled by the Pawar family, which has 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.

Speaking at the party’s conclave at Karjat in Raigad district last year, Ajit Pawar had said that his party would contest four seats --- Baramati, Shirur, Satara and Raigad – as part of the ruling BJP-led Maha Yuti in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Sunetra Pawar, who also hails from a political family, has generated buzz as a possible future MP. Her brother, Dr Padmasinh Patil, is a former Maharashtra minister.

In the 2019 polls, Supriya Sule trounced BJP candidate Kanchan Kul - the wife of MLA Rahul Kul - by a margin of 1,57,000 votes.