Baramati To Witness NCP vs NCP In LS Polls; Ajit Pawar Hints To Field Candidate Against Supriya Sule

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday sounded the election bugle against Baramati MP Supriya Sule and hinted at fielding a candidate against her cousin in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Baramati Lok Sabha segment has traditionally been a bastion of Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule, however, Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar announced his intent to field a candidate against her.

Ajit Pawar also said that only if his candidate wins against Sule, he will contest the Assembly elections from Baramati and urged voters to vote for the development of the constituency. Pawar said that he would field a candidate who has not contested an election earlier, but that person would have the support of those with ample experience.

"Since the formation of Maharashtra state and the commencement of elections till date, it has never happened in Baramati that the deposit of opposition candidate was not forfeited. And I am proud of it," Pawar said on Friday. He further urged the people to show their love and said, "People will come to you and ask for your votes on emotional issues but it is up to you to decide whether you will vote on emotional grounds or to continue development work and for the welfare of your future generations."

In a veiled attack on Sule, he said, "Those who work, are bound to face allegations. Those who do not work, are bound to remain clean."
Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar backed his decision to declare the Deputy CM Ajit Pawar-led faction as the real NCP on Thursday by saying that no stand in the decision is "unconstitutional" or "arbitrary."

Interacting with the media a day after making the decision, Rahul Narwekar said, "This decision is very clear. A copy of the decision has been provided to the parties. No stand in this decision is unconstitutional or arbitrary. The stand has been justified. Reasons for the same have been stated. So, I think there is no need to further analyse such a tenable and justified decision."

However, the Maharashtra Speaker's decision has been criticised by the UBT faction of the Shiv Sena termed it a comedy show. Earlier, the Election Commission also allotted the Ajit Pawar-led faction the party name and symbol. Narwekar held that Ajit Pawar's assertion about vote share is not disputed by the Sharad Pawar faction, and the matter of the legislative majority is also undisputed.

Narwekar further dismissed the Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions' pleas to disqualify MLAs after a vertical split in the party in June 2023.
On February 6, the Election Commission, while applying the test of majority in the legislative wing, ruled that Ajit Pawar's faction was the real NCP and permitted the faction to use the 'clock' symbol for the party.