I will win Baramati with margin of over lakh votes: Ajit Pawar

Mumbai, Nov 11 (IANS) NCP National President and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is contesting from his home turf Baramati against nephew and NCP(SP) nominee Yogendra Pawar, on Monday asserted that he will win with a margin of over one lakh votes.

Ajit Pawar, who recently admitted that it was his mistake to field wife Sunetra Pawar against cousin and NCP(SP) candidate Supriya Sule from Baramati in the Lok Sabha elections, said that the Baramatikars will vote for him considering his record as a doer and performer, especially due to the implementation of a slew of development projects over the year, for scaling up Baramati’s development.

Ajit Pawar's statement comes when his estranged uncle and NCP(SP) President Sharad Pawar is solidly standing with grandnephew and party nominee Yogendra Pawar seeking votes based on his association with Baramati for over five-and-half decades.

“Considering Sharad Pawar's age, you elected Supriya Sule to the Lok Sabha. He (Sharad Pawar) will not like Supriya Sule's defeat at this age. So you did correct. We accepted it,” says Ajit Pawar during his poll rallies.

He however, tells the voters that they would have to vote for him now to increase the pace of Baramati’s development as it would be possible with the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra and the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

“Baramatikars are in two minds. I request them that as they have cast their votes for Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha, now it's time to vote for me in the Assembly elections. I have carried out a maximum number of projects in Baramati during my political career. During that time many people had started working with me. Keep aside disputes and differences among villages for a moment and vote for me,” said Ajit Pawar during his interaction with Baramatikars on Monday.

He also made similar appeals during his recent village-level meetings in Baramati constituency.

“You voted for Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha elections to make Sharad Pawar happy. Now support me by casting your votes to make me happy,” said Ajit Pawar.

He claimed that the Mahayuti comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP will win more than 175 seats in the 288-member state Assembly.

“The Mahayuti leaders and cadres belonging to the respective allies are working hard for victory. Moreover, Mahayuti leaders are holding rallies across Maharashtra,” he said.

Ajit Pawar, who during his budget launched a slew of welfare and development schemes worth Rs 1 lakh crore, slammed the Opposition for allegedly setting a fake narrative in the Lok Sabha polls that hit the Mahayuti but claimed that it won’t work during the Assembly elections as the Mahayuti government’s schemes have received an overwhelming response from the people of the state.

He took a dig at the Opposition saying, “The Opposition criticised our schemes and now all over schemes appear in their manifesto. They were asking us where we will get the money for these schemes, now they should answer from where will the Maha Vikas Aghadi get the money.”

“The Maha Vikas Aghadi is misleading the people. They will not come to power, so they are trying to get people’s votes by making whatever announcements they want,” he said.

Commenting on the present state of onion and sugarcane farmers, Ajit Pawar said, “Earlier onion farmers did not get good prices due to the export ban. This impacted us in the Lok Sabha elections. I requested the Centre and today onion farmers are getting good prices. Sugarcane farmers are also getting good prices for sugarcane.”

Meanwhile, NCP(SP) nominee Yogendra Pawar on Monday asserted, “There is no pressure to fight against uncle (Ajit Pawar) though I feel bad. Such things should not happen in any family.”

He further said, “I will not talk about Ajit Pawar as he is elder to me. I am not in Baramati to oppose anyone but to support Sharad Pawar.”

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)