Sharad Pawar announces Supriya Sule as candidate for Baramati Lok Sabha seat

Pune:

NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar on Saturday announced MP Supriya Sule as the candidate for Maharashtra’s Baramati Lok Sabha seat, amid speculation Sunetra Pawar, wife of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, is likely to be fielded from the seat.

The octogenarian leader made the announcement at a rally organized by opposition group Maha Vikas Aghadi in Bhor tehsil of Pune district. MVA member and Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut was also present at the event.

Sharad Pawar said that the Election Commission will announce the Lok Sabha poll schedule on March 14 or March 15. The Election Commission assigned his attire the symbol “Man playing tulha (traditional trumpet)”.

“The elections will decide the future of our country. So far, no one has been so anxious about the future of this country, but a change is needed now. Today, Prime Minister Modi is no longer focusing on farmer suicides. Instead, he is directing all his attention to Concentrated in Gujarat,” he said.

The NCP founder also accused the government of abusing its power.

“What assurance did Prime Minister Modi give us? Neither black money was recovered nor any work done. Today, farmers are agitating but Prime Minister Modi is not paying any attention. Inflation and unemployment have become serious problems in our country .

“If you think the situation should be brought under control, now is the time. When you go to vote, press the ‘tutari’ (symbol of the party) button. Today, I declare Supriya Sule as the candidate for Baramati Lok Sabha constituency people.”

During his speech, Sharad Pawar told Bhor MLA Sangram Thopte that he would support the legislator. Sangram’s father, Anantrao Thopte, who represented Bol in Parliament six times before his crushing defeat in 1999, was known as one of Pawar’s rivals when he was in Congress.

“Sangram Topte, no matter what work you do for your country, state or country, I will always support you. We had different paths before but now you are with us and I will show you the real development,” he said. Congress is one of the MVA’s partners.

On March 1, Sunetra Pawar met Congress veteran Anantrao Thopte at his home in Bol. Sangram Topte, however, denied that the meeting had any political significance.

There are speculations that the Ajit Pawar-led NCP may field Sunetra Pawar from Baramati.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)