NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) leader Sunil Tatkare revealed on Wednesday that party workers are pushing for Sunetra Pawar, wife of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Baramati constituency, currently held by Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar.
Discussing the seat-sharing dynamics among the ruling Mahayuti coalition - consisting of Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar - Tatkare stated, "No decision has been finalised regarding the allocation of Lok Sabha seats yet. State leaders from all three parties will convene and make the final decision in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah." "In the seat-sharing discussions, we will assert our claim over the Baramati constituency, which we have historically held. Additionally, there are strong demands from party workers for Sunetra Pawar's candidacy in this seat," he emphasised.
Tatkare also expressed the Mahayuti's ambition to secure over 45 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. He hinted at potential defections to the Ajit Pawar-led faction, stating, "While some criticise Ajit Pawar and the NCP, there are others who express interest in joining us. Our alliance is committed to winning more than 45 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections."
Addressing the party's challenges, Tatkare remarked, "Despite facing criticism from various quarters, we remain steadfast in our ideology. We are determined to reinforce the party's organisational structure and network."
Moreover, Tatkare also claimed that if Ajit Pawar was not appointed as Deputy CM in 2019, the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government wouldn't have survived. "The contribution of Ajit dada is more than any other leader. He plays the biggest role in ensuring the party's victory," the NCP MP added.
Ajit Pawar's nephew may join Sharad Pawar's camp
Yugendra Pawar, nephew of Ajit Pawar, is expected to throw his support behind his grand-uncle Sharad Pawar by campaigning for Supriya Sule in the upcoming elections.
Despite Ajit Pawar's elder brother, Sriniwas Pawar, consistently standing by him, his son Yugendra has chosen to align with his grand-uncle and advocate for Sule's candidacy.
On Wednesday, Yugendra paid a visit to Sharad Pawar's party office in Baramati, where he declared his intention to actively campaign for Sule in the elections.
Yugendra attended school in Pune and Mumbai before pursuing further studies in Europe and the United States. After completing his education abroad, he returned to India and became a director in his family's business, the Sharayu Group of Companies.
He also serves as the president of the Baramati Wrestling Association and is actively involved with Vidya Pratishthan, an educational trust in Baramati established by Sharad Pawar.
