Baramati: As battlelines got drawn in Baramati in Pune district in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar - the two possible contestants, shared the dais on Saturday in this high-profile constituency in Maharashtra.
The occasion was the inauguration of the 'Namo Rojgar Melava 2024’ by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in presence of two Deputy Chief Ministers - Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
The function was held at Vidya Pratishthan, the institution founded by Sharad Pawar, the four-time Maharashtra Chief Minister and three-time union minister.
Things in Baramati have changed post the rebellion by Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar, who walked to the BJP-led NDA camp and later successfully claimed the NCP party and iconic clock symbol of the political outfit founded by the Maratha strongman a quarter of a century 25 years ago.
In fact, the 83-year-old Sharad Pawar has dominated the Baramati politics for over half a century.
In most likelihood, in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, the contest would be between Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar and Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, a three-time Baramati MP and one-term Rajya Sabha MP.
Over the past fortnight, both Sunetra Pawar and Supriya Sule held a series of meetings in the Pawar-family stronghold.
The Baramati job fair seemed to be the launch of Sunetra Pawar’s campaign.
However, initially the name of Sharad Pawar’s name was missing from the invite list - even though he function was being held in this institution, however, the veteran politician seized the opportunity and invited the trio for Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, for a meal at his residence Govind Baug.
Shinde and Fadnavis, however, declined the invite sharing prior engagements.
Published 02 March 2024, 10:16 IST