Rebel Shiv Sena leader finally quits race for Baramati LS seat

Pune, March 30 (IANS) Spelling relief, a former legislator of the ruling Shiv Sena Vijay Shivtare officially withdrew from the crucial battle for Baramati Lok Sabha seat, after consulting his party leaders and workers, here on Saturday.

The decision comes two days after he called on Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit A. Pawar, along with senior Shiv Sena leader Bharat Gogawale at the CM's bungalow 'Varsha', and calmed him down, in Mumbai on Thursday.

Following it up with a meeting of his party supporters, a relaxed Shivtare announced that "in the wake of the assurances given by the top MahaYuti leaders, he had decided not to enter the race for Baramati LS".

Shivtare said that his move could have affected the MahaYuti prospects in at least 10 LS seats and affected CM Shinde, so he has decided to opt out of the polls.

Earlier, an adamant Shivtare had threatened to file his nomination papers for Baramati as an independent on April 12 at 12 noon, and even "vowed to defeat Sunetra A. Pawar", rattling the MahaYuti, and making Ajit A. Pawar edgy.

The battle for Baramati is now all set to be fought between NCP president Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra A. Pawar and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) Working President Supriya Sule, the sitting three-time MP.

The daughter of NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule is the "nanad" of Sunetra A. Pawar, (her "bhabhi") and the two women enjoy a cordial relationship, as witnessed on several occasions in the recent past when they bumped into each other in the constituency on the campaign trail.

Without taking any names, Ajit A. Pawar had hinted on Wednesday that the NCP will officially announce its nominee for Baramati in a day or so, "and the candidate shall be the person who is in your mind".