Baramati Lok Sabha 2024: Ajit Pawar Hints At Sunetra's Candidacy Against Supriya Sule

The upcoming Lok Sabha election 2024 in Maharashtra's Baramati is set to be a highly anticipated showdown, with the possibility of a head-to-head contest within the Pawar family.

Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Ajit Pawar, without naming names, made an emotional appeal to his constituents on Friday, urging them to elect a "first timer" who is supported by "experienced people." This speech has fueled speculation that the party may field his wife, Sunetra Pawar, against his cousin, Supriya Sule, the incumbent Baramati MP.

Who is Sunetra Pawar?

Sunetra Pawar has already launched a publicity campaign in the Baramati constituency and is likely to be pitted against Supriya Sule, the daughter of seasoned leader Sharad Pawar. Supriya Sule has represented the Baramati constituency for three consecutive terms since 2009, following her tenure as a Rajya Sabha member from 2006 to 2009.

Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar's wife, hails from a political family-her brother, Padamsinh Patil, is a senior politician and former minister. The couple has two sons-Jay, who oversees the family business, and Parth Pawar, who has political aspirations but lost the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Maval, according to Deccan Herald.

Sunetra Pawar is renowned for her social work in Baramati. She is the founder of the Environmental Forum of India, an NGO established in 2010, and has been instrumental in promoting the concept of eco-villages in India. Additionally, she serves as a trustee for the prestigious educational institution Vidya Pratishthan and has been a member of the World Entrepreneurship Forum's think tank in France since 2011.

Ajit Pawar has actively supported Sunetra Pawar's work in Baramati, with promotional vehicles displaying her photo and flex banners featuring prominent images of the couple in the area.

The Baramati constituency has been historically significant for the Pawar family. Sharad Pawar has won numerous Maharashtra legislative assembly elections from Baramati and has also been successful in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha polls. Ajit Pawar has previously won the Baramati Lok Sabha elections in 1991 and has since secured seven Vidhan Sabha terms.

Supriya Sule has represented the Baramati Lok Sabha seat for the past three terms, continuing the Pawar family's legacy in the region.