Relief for Ajit Pawar in Baramati as rebel pulls out of contest
In a reprieve for Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, former Minister Vijay Shivtare, a senior leader of the ruling Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena, was finally persuaded to withdraw from contesting the crucial Baramati Lok Sabha seat as the third candidate.
It is widely expected that Mr. Ajit Pawar will field his wife Sunetra from Baramati against incumbent MP Supriya Sule, who is NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s daughter and the former’s cousin.
Against Pawar clan
Earlier this month, Mr. Shivtare, former twoterm MLA from Purandar, had vented his anger on the Pawar clan, especially Mr. Ajit Pawar, who had been responsible for causing his defeat in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly election.
Mr. Shivtare had decided to contest as an Independent to overthrow the Pawar clan. He was finally pacified at a meeting held late Wednesday night in Mumbai by Mr. Shinde and BJP leader and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Mr. Ajit Pawar was also present at the meeting.
Photos after the meeting showed a smiling Mr. Shivtare being feted by a bouquet of flowers by a smiling, and relieved, Mr. Ajit Pawar, Mr. Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis.
“We had a meeting with
Mr. Shivtare. He said he would abide by whatever the Mahayuti leadership told him,” said Mr. Shinde on Thursday. He also said that Mr. Shivtare would not campaign against Mr. Ajit Pawar in Baramati.
‘Coalition dharma’
Despite previous attempts by Mr. Shinde, who personally summoned Mr. Shivtare and urged him to obey ‘coalition dharma’, he had refused to budge from his decision.
Alleging that the Pawars had done nothing for Baramati’s development during their unchallenged reign of nearly 50 years, Mr. Shivtare had positioned himself as the voice of the common people, to be pitted against the Pawar clan.
Meanwhile, sources said Mr. Fadnavis will soon be visiting Baramati to ensure that all differences at the local level are resolved and that leaders of all three ruling parties wholeheartedly campaign for Mr. Ajit Pawar’s candidate in Baramati Lok Sabha constituency.