Battle For Baramati: Either Way, Both Pawars Are Losing

As Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar file their nominations for Baramati Loksabha constituency, an important chapter in Maharashtra political history will come to close. No matter which way the voter chooses- Supriya or Sunetra, this will be the beginning of end of the Pawar dominance.

Supporters of Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar, the real forces behind Supriya and Sunetra may not agree to this, but this is what it is. Bharatiya Janata Party has managed the once unthinkable. The rift in Pawar family is deep and now confirmed, given the bitter statements from both sides, even from Sharad Pawar who referred to Sunetra Pawar as an outsider to the family. These are words that leave permanent scars. 

Also Read | Maharashtra Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Supriya Sule Files Nomination for Baramati Seat.

Sunetra Pawar’s on camera reaction to Senior Pawar’s jibe seemed scripted, but the fact remains that even Sharad Pawar, who is otherwise considered a liberal leader, showed the misogynist side of his persona. On the other hand, Ajit Pawar’s repeated reference to Senior Pawar’s age hasn’t gone down well with the rural voters. In Indian culture, especially in our villages, we respect our family elders and no matter how much they are seen as done and dusted, the family always treats them with respect. There was a severe backlash when Ajit and the leaders kept reiterating this in the initial days of their rebellion and that certainly didn’t work for them.

When Ajit Pawar joined Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis’s government, it was expected that a large voter base of Nationalist Congress Party will shift sides with him and he would then become a dominant partner of this three-party government. Shinde sensed this and ensured that the Junior was cut to size systematically. Even Fadnavis seems to have worked with Shinde on this. As a result, Ajit Pawar’s party is contesting only five seats in this Loksabha elections. And of these five seats, the only seat that matters to Ajit Pawar is that of Baramati, where his wife Sunetra will be contesting. Even if he wins all other four seats, but loses this one, there’s nothing that he will have achieved. 

Remember, his son Parth has already lost from Maval constituency back in 2019. So this is a ‘do or die’ battle for Ajit, who is 66 now, and must prove himself as the worthy challenger in Maharashtra politics. But as a result of this being a prestigious battle, he will be confined to Baramati constituency. Ever since he took over as the deputy Chief Minister, Ajit has barely stepped out of Pune district and that has hampered expansion of his clout. 

It is also telling that Ajit has not been able to quell challenges in Baramati constituency and has had to rely on Fadnavis and Shinde. Vijay Shivtare, Rahul Kul and Harshwardhan Patil have been the local political adversaries of Ajit Pawar and he had an upper hand all these years thanks to his uncle. But now that he no longer enjoys his blessings, the trio decided to extract their pound of flesh. It was only after the interventions by Fadnavis and Shinde, that they have patched up, at least on the face of it. A defeat in Baramati will almost certainly bring down curtains on his stop and start political career that has spanned over three decades. The man has always been in the shadow of his uncle, and though his supporters hail him as an able administrator, he is yet to showcase his vision.

Also Read | Lok Sabha Election 2024: Supriya Sule Owed Rs 35 Lakh To Her Baramati Rival Sunetra Pawar, Rs 20 Lakh To Ajit Pawar's Son in 2019.

And then, we have Sharad Pawar who kept aspiring to become the Prime Minister, but could never grow beyond the state. He has friends in all political parties, even in the Bharatiya Janata Party, where the incumbent PM Narendra Modi once said he learnt politics from Sharad Pawar. And yet the fact remains that when he should have been at the forefront in the INDIA bloc, he, too, is constrained to plot and plan his own daughter’s win. Supriya Sule has been a veteran of Loksabha and has established herself as a studious parliamentarian. But a strong challenge from within the family has made even her unsure of the win in the bastion that the Pawars never lost. 

Supriya has been going door to door seeking voters’ support and stressing upon her new electoral symbol. But it’s not just Supriya, even Sharad Pawar is going knocking on doors that he did not over 55 years, and trying to bury the hatchet that have lasted beyond generations. His recent visit to the Thopte housefold in Bhor was one such attempt. The Old Man is pulling every trick from his bag to see his political legacy is protected and Supriya is elected. His supporters concede that he does not have the polling machinery at his disposal as it was always Ajit who handled these matters. But he is relying on his decades-long connect with the voters and is hoping that it will be enough to pull through.

We will know on June 4 who wins in the constituency, but it will be the end of Pawar legacy as neither Supriya nor Ajit have the aura that Sharad Pawar’s carries.