Battle for Baramati: Modi’s Rally Throws Spotlight on Key Constituency

Baramati/Pune, 10th April 2024: As the political landscape in Baramati, the bastion of the Pawar family, simmers with tension after the split within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), plans are afoot to host a crucial meeting featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The gathering, purportedly slated for the end of April or the first week of May, is set to take place in the Khadakwasla assembly constituency, located within the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency.

The showdown in Baramati looms large, with Supriya Sule, the sitting MP and daughter of Sharad Pawar, facing off against Sunetra Pawar, the wife of Ajit Pawar. The rift within the NCP has amplified the significance of this electoral battle, intensifying campaign efforts from both camps.

In a bid to wrest control of Baramati, a stronghold of Sharad Pawar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been strategizing for over two years, launching the ‘B for Baramati’ mission akin to the ‘A for Amethi’ campaign in previous elections. The BJP’s concerted efforts, including visits by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, underscore their determination to challenge the Pawar hegemony.

During the 2014 elections, Mahadev Jankar of the Rashtriya Samaj Party posed a formidable challenge to Supriya Sule, despite her clinching victory with a margin of 65,000 votes. The aborted Modi rally during that period underscores the significance of such political spectacles in the region. Now, with changing political dynamics, plans are underway to orchestrate Modi’s meeting, aiming to galvanize urban voters within the Baramati constituency, as well as those in Pune.

While Prime Minister Modi is slated to hold two meetings in Vidarbha, calls have emerged for a similar gathering to bolster the Mahayuti candidates in the district. However, the exact venue and logistics remain undecided, with leaders from both alliances navigating the complex political terrain.

Chandrakant Patil, Minister of Higher and Technical Education and Pune, Baramati, Shirur Constituency Cluster Head, affirmed efforts to secure a meeting for Mahayuti candidates in Pune district.

Meanwhile, Pradeep Gartkar, District president of the NCP, stressed the importance of selecting a venue with adequate space and parking facilities, hinting at the gravity of the impending political showdown in Baramati.