Ajit targets Sharad Pawar, aunt Pratibha; asks Baramatikars not to be swayed by emotions 

Sanjay Jog

Baramati, Nov 16 (IANS) Ahead of the polling for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, NCP National President Ajit Pawar is engaged in targeting his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar and aunt Pratibha Pawar during his poll rallies and meetings with villagers from the Baramati constituency. 

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is pitted against his nephew and NCP(SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar in the Baramati constituency.

For the first time, Ajit Pawar, who has never hidden his emotional attachment to Pratibha Pawar, questioned her move to conduct a house-to-house campaign, seeking votes for Yugendra Pawar.

He also declared that after winning the present election he is going to ask her (Pratibha Pawar) why she was actively involved in Yugendra Pawar’s campaign.

Yugendra Pawar is the grandnephew of Sharad Pawar and Pratibha Pawar.

Ajit Pawar however, asked the Baramatikars not to get carried away by the emotional appeals made by Sharad Pawar and Pratibha Pawar.

This is not all, Ajit Pawar accused the Sharad Pawar camp of paying Rs 500 to women from the Baramati constituency to attend the women’s rally which took place in the presence of Pratibha Pawar two days ago.

He claimed that this was not done in the past and is certainly a new phenomenon witnessed in the Baramati elections.

However, NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar has strongly denied Ajit Pawar’s allegations.

“Those women participants, who were brought by paying Rs 500 for the rally at 11 A.M., had to sit till 2 P.M. without water and food. The use of money is a new trend seen in Baramati by those who have money,” he claimed without naming his estranged uncle and his camp.

He claimed that although he has been contesting elections since 1991 he had never done anything like this.

For Ajit Pawar it is a make or break election as he received a major jolt after his wife and party nominee Sunetra Pawar lost to NCP(SP) nominee and Pawar senior’s daughter Supriya Sule from Baramati in the general elections.

He is not making any personal comment against Yugendra saying that as he is his nephew, he is like a son.

Apart from flagging up the development works carried out by him in Baramati constituency, Ajit Pawar is stepping up attacks against Sharad Pawar and Pratibha Pawar and is accusing them of isolating him.

Expressing hurt over Pratibha Pawar’s involvement in Yugendra Pawar’s campaign, Ajit Pawar said, “Has Pratibha kaki (aunt) ever come out to campaign for me since 1991 when I became a legislator? Why now? Is it because of her affection for her grandnephew? After the election is over I am going to ask Pratibha kaki why she campaigned for him.”

Making a strong appeal to the villagers to elect him instead of a candidate who is new to politics, Ajit Pawar argued, “My request to you is to elect a leader who has the command and strength to carry out works worth thousands of crores. The leader should be in a position to call up the authorities who will immediately respond and take necessary actions for undertaking various works.”

He told the villagers that he and NCP function on the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Mahatma Phule, Shau Maharaj and BR Ambedkar.

By pointing this out, Ajit Pawar has reiterated his strong opposition to communal politics especially against the “Batenge toh katenge” and “Ek hain toh safe hain” calls given by BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Devendra Fadnavis.

Ajit Pawar is leaving no stone unturned for his victory as he is visiting hamlets and villages to increase his connect with people.

During his interactions, Ajit Pawar assures that after this election, his priority would be to promote young leadership and give opportunities to the youth and new people.

He also takes an opportunity to tell Baramatikars that veteran Sharad Pawar, who has been in active politics for over 55 years, has already announced that after his present Rajya Sabha terms expires after one-and-a-half-years, he will take a call whether or not to remain in electoral politics.

Ajit Pawar thereby indicates that he will be there on the scene after Sharad Pawar’s exit from electoral politics to take Baramati’s development story forward.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at [email protected])