Maharashtra politics: All eyes on Ajit Pawar’s first homecoming after crossover

The chacha-bhatija politics will enter an interesting phase this weekend when Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will visit his constituency, Baramati, for the first time since parting ways with Sharad Pawar. Sources said Ajit will avoid directly taking potshots at the rival camp and the NCP boss.

On Sunday, Ajit will counter his uncle's influence in Beed, Marathwada, where the unified NCP had been ruling the roost.

Ajit's local supporters in Baramati have planned to felicitate him on Saturday. The town is a model of development in itself, thanks to the Pawar family's uninterrupted rule of over five decades.

The felicitation

While Ajit is the local legislator, his cousin Supriya Sule is the Lok Sabha member from Baramati. The daughter had succeeded her father. The split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in July has demarcated the separation lines, which are becoming prominent gradually. Sharad Pawar has refused to go with the nephew and vowed to defeat him and his new allies in all forthcoming elections.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar will be addressing the public in Pimpri-Chinchwad, on Friday. File pic/Ashish Raje

Ajit, after the initial burst, has been staying away from criticising his uncle. His party colleagues have drawn a sharp retort from the rival camp for speaking against Sharad Pawar. Political observers will be keenly watching Ajit in action at the felicitation ceremony in his native. Every word of his will count in the battles ahead.

The preparation

Sources said that Ajit will not directly attack the rival camp and Sharad Pawar in Beed on Sunday, but he will instead tell the people about development, his vision and why he has chosen to be with the BJP.

He prepared himself on Thursday at a meeting with his MLAs from Beed district, agriculture minister Dhananjay Munde, former lawmakers and influential leaders, to woo the voters. Similarly, the method will be used in Pimpri-Chinchwad where Ajit will be addressing the public on Friday.

Interestingly, the Ajit camp has decided not to use Sharad Pawar's photo on the publicity material. The instructions came from the deputy CM following his uncle's threat that he would move the court if his images were used by the rival camp.

On disqualification

Meanwhile, in the case about the disqualification of MLAs from the Shinde and Thackeray groups, the ruling faction is said to have submitted a 6,000-page explanation to the legislature office on Thursday. Speaker Rahul Narvekar is expected to decide the case at the earliest.

Aug 27
Day Ajit Pawar will visit Beed

Aug 26
Day Ajit Pawar will be in Baramati