Baramati (Maharashtra), Nov 1 (IANS) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president and Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is pitted against nephew and NCP-SP nominee Yugendra Pawar, in a bid to cheer up his supporters, declared that “MahaYuti yenar yenar yenar” (MahaYuti will come back to power).
Pawar’s announcement was similar to what ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis said in the run-up to the 2019 assembly elections – ‘Mi Punha Yein’ (I will return).
Ajit Pawar, who is camping in Baramati during the Diwali festival, has been visiting villages and meeting the voters since early morning.
He is seeking votes on the basis of a slew of development works carried out in Baramati and also a number of welfare and development schemes including Ladki Bahin Yojana implemented by the MahaYuti government.
Ajit Pawar, who is not leaving any stone unturned for his victory, especially after his wife Sunetra Pawar lost to his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule in the general elections from Baramati, at Zargarwadi village on Friday, claimed that he will emerge victorious on the strength of development of Baramati.
“I will win based on Baramati’s progress, which was possible due to a number of initiatives launched during my term. In order to benefit Baramati taluka more, no matter what happens tomorrow, the MahaYuti government will come back to power (yenar, yenar, yenar) and I will get a good position in the government,” he said amid thunderous applause from the people gathered for the meeting.
Ajit Pawar, who deserted Sharad Pawar and joined BJP and Shiv Sena, dropped hints that voters would vote for MahaYuti in order to further increase the pace of development and get more Central funds.
By declaring that MahaYuti will come back to power, his attempt was to appeal to the voters not to get carried away by the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s narrative and especially by NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar’s poll tactics, not only in Baramati, but also in the state.
Further, Ajit Pawar has stepped up his outreach with voters knowing that his mentor and NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, cannot be underestimated in luring voters due to his political career of over five decades.
Ajit Pawar, without naming Sharad Pawar, said: “Some had decided to elect Tai (Supriya) to the Lok Sabha and Dada (Ajit Pawar) to the legislative Assembly. However, I won’t say much about it. During the 2019 assembly elections, I was elected by 1,95,641 votes. Because of my election, I brought funds worth Rs 9,000 crore to Baramati.”
He appealed to the voters to give him yet another chance to win with a good margin of votes in the Assembly elections slated for November 20.
“I have come to you on the basis of my work. My request is… I have been doing your work for five years, now you support me. I am bound to do your work for the next five years,” said Ajit Pawar. He told the party workers and people from Baramati that he will try to visit every village and interact with them.
Ajit Pawar’s move to stay in Baramati during Diwali festival is important as Sharad Pawar is also camping there and meeting people.
The senior Pawar addressed several small meetings on Thursday and Friday and tomorrow he will meet a stream of people who will come to Baramati to wish him on the occasion of Diwali Padwa.
On November 5, Sharad Pawar will hold meetings at Shirsuphal, Supe, Morgaon and Someshwar in Baramati taluka and on the same day he also interact with businessmen, lawyers and doctors.
(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)
–IANS
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