The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday announced Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar as a candidate from the Baramati constituency for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Sunetra Pawar will contest against Supriya Sule who is the candidate for NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) [NCP-SP]. Sunil Tatkare, the NCP state president, revealed the party's decision to nominate only one candidate, Supriya Sule, for the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency.
Speaking to news agency ANI, NCP candidate Sunetra Pawar, "Today is a huge day for me. I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union HM Amit Shah, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar for showing faith one me..."
Vijay Shivtare, while addressing a press conference on Saturday morning, had earlier hinted at a potential electoral battle in Baramati, according to ABP Majha. Consequently, the political landscape in Baramati appears poised for heightened competition between the split NCP factions as the Sharad Pawar-led party has also confirmed Supriya Sule as its candidate.
Last month as rumours of the Baramati faceoff swirled, Sule addressing a rally in her constituency said, "I seek your votes to send me to Parliament to discuss your issues. You cannot elect a person who would sit quietly while her husband goes to Parliament and speaks. Do you ever want such a person (as a candidate)?", as quoted by PTI.
"If my husband visits Parliament, he cannot even enter the Lower House. He will have to sit in the canteen there waiting for me", she added.
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Lok Sabha Election: NCP(SP) Retains Supriya Sule In Baramati, Declares Five Candidates
The NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, announced its initial slate of candidates for the Maharashtra Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. The party's first list includes five contenders, with Supriya Sule retaining her candidacy for the Baramati constituency. Nilesh Lanke, who defected from the Ajit Pawar faction, will contest from the Ahmednagar constituency.
Jayant Patil, the state unit chief of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), revealed the lineup, confirming Supriya Sule's candidacy for Baramati and Amol Kolhe's candidacy for Shirur, news agency PTI reported.
In addition to Sule and Kolhe, Bhaskar Bhagre has been selected to run for the Dindori seat in Nashik district, while former Congress MLA Amar Kale will represent the party in Wardha.
Bhagre is set to go head-to-head with Union minister and incumbent BJP MP Bharati Pawar in the Dindori (ST) constituency. Meanwhile, Lanke, the current MLA from Parner, will challenge BJP MP Sujay Vikhe Patil in Ahmednagar.
The NCP, a key member of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition alongside the Shiv Sena and Congress, will contest a total of 10 seats in Maharashtra, which boasts 48 Lok Sabha constituencies.