The NCP was split in July last year
Maharashtra's Baramati - a stronghold of Sharad Pawar's family - is likely to witness a high-stakes electoral battle in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra being speculated as a candidate against his cousin Supriya Sule.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar yesterday hinted at fielding a "first-timer" from Baramati against Supriya Sule.
Baramati has traditionally been a bastion of Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule. Ms Sule has represented the Baramati constituency for three consecutive terms since 2009.
Sounding the election bugle, Ajit Pawar said that he would field a candidate who has not contested an election earlier, but that person would have the support of "experienced people".
Ajit Pawar made an emotional appeal to elect the "first timer" candidate and vote for development, "People will come to you and ask for your votes on emotional issues but it is up to you to decide whether you will vote on emotional grounds or to continue development work and for the welfare of your future generations."
"Since the formation of Maharashtra state and the commencement of elections till date, it has never happened in Baramati that the deposit of opposition candidate was not forfeited. And I am proud of it," Mr Pawar said.
Reacting to the developments, Ms Sule said, "it's a democracy, everyone here has the right to contest elections and hence it's a fair thing to say."
The NCP was split in July last year after Ajit Pawar along with eight other MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government.
The Election Commission earlier this month ruled the Ajit Pawar faction would be recognised as the 'real NCP', thereby giving it control over the party name and symbol (a clock) weeks before the Lok Sabha election and polls to fill six to-be-vacant Rajya Sabha seats in the state.
The decision played out like the Sena vs Sena fight, in which the faction led by Eknath Shinde (made Chief Minister after rebelling and allying with the BJP) was called the 'real Sena', leaving Uddhav Thackeray racing, weeks before an election, to find a new identity for the party his father founded.