With the Pawar family split across two parties, the upcoming Lok Sabha elections might see two members of the political family contesting head-to-head in Maharashtra's Baramati. Reports suggest that Ajit Pawar will field his wife Sunetra Pawar to face off with his cousin and Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule.
The rumours got momentum after the deputy chief minister Ajit appealed to the Baramati voters to elect a "first timer" who will get support of "experienced people". He even went on to say that he will contest the Assembly elections from Baramati only if his candidate defeats Sule.
Following this, reports began to speculate that he is planning to make his wife Sunetra contest against incumbent Baramati MP Sule.
Baramati assembly seat has been a bastion of Sharad Pawar who won the Maharashtra state elections from the constituency in 1967, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1985 and 1990. He also won the Lok Sabha polls from Baramati in 1984, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004. His daughter Sule had won from the Lok Sabha constituency for three terms since 2009.
Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad on Friday said he was not worried about losing the NCP name and symbol but asserted people did not approve of those who chose to go on a different path, referring to nephew Ajit.
In a veiled attack on his nephew, Sharad said, "Power comes and goes but ideology, policies and the thought to take the country forward are permanent. But some of our colleagues deviated from this path. Some took away the party, some took away the symbol. I never worry about all this. Some people chose to go on a different path by forsaking ideology but people did not appreciate this move."