In regards to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sharad Pawar's nephew and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, has made a significant announcement. Ajit Pawar said in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, his faction will field candidates on four seats, including Baramati.
Ajit announces four seats to be fought by his faction in Lok Sabha
Ajit Pawar, who split from the NCP to join the Shinde-Fadnavis government in Maharashtra, stated, "I estimate that the announcement for the Lok Sabha elections will be made in the first week of March next year. We will contest elections on the parliamentary seats of Satara, Shirur, Raigad, and Baramati." Ajit Pawar's faction is currently conducting a two-day camp in Karjat, Raigad district, where he made this announcement.
From the stage of the NCP's national convention, Ajit Pawar stated, "We are already prepared to contest elections on the Baramati, Shirur, Satara, and Raigad parliamentary seats. For other constituencies where Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, holds sway, if NCP has influence there, we can engage in discussions with BJP and Eknath Shinde saheb to field our candidates there... if those seats are allotted to us."
Seat-sharing discussions to be held with Amit Shah: Ajit Pawar
Ajit Pawar remarked, "We, as a united front (Mahayuti alliance), will collectively discuss the allocation of seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and reach a decision. Initial discussions have taken place with leaders such as Amit Shah, Devendra Fadnavis, Chandrakant Patil, Eknath Shinde, and others. However, considering the ongoing elections in five states, we will convene for detailed deliberations after their conclusion." He also mentioned plans to engage in discussions regarding Maharashtra's seats with Union Home Minister Amit Shah after the state elections in the five states.
Notably, the four seats announced by Ajit Pawar currently have NCP MPs, three from the Sharad Pawar's group while one from Ajit Pawar's camp. Supriya Sule represents Baramati, Amol Kolhe represents Shirur, and Shrinivas Patil represents Satara for the Sharad Pawar faction, while Sunil Tatkare, the leader of the Ajit Pawar faction, is the MP from Raigad. However, the announcement by Ajit camp to field candidates in these four constituencies has added new colours to the political fight in Maharashtra.
Pawar Vs Pawar in Baramati
In three of these four Lok Sabha constituencies, the battle might be a direct contest between the Ajit Pawar faction and the candidates fielded by the Sharad Pawar faction. However, all eyes are on whether Ajit Pawar, after declaring his candidacy, will choose his wife or any of his two sons to enter the political arena against his cousin, Supriya Sule, in Baramati. Following Ajit Pawar's announcement, it is now clear that Maharashtra will witness a Pawar versus Pawar contest for the first time.
