Pune: Sunil Tatkare Confirms Ajit Pawar as Candidate in Baramati; Addresses Rumors About NCP’s Role in BJP’s Election Loss
Reported By Varad Bhatkhande
Pune, 14th September 2024: The Pune Shramik Patrakar Sangh organized a ‘Vision Maharashtra 2050’ initiative. Present at the event were Sangh Chairman Sunit Bhave, Secretary Minakshi Gurav, and Vice-Chairman Chandrakant Phunde. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Maharashtra State President Sunil Tatkare made significant revelations, including Ajit Pawar’s immediate future in the upcoming Legislative Elections in Maharashtra.
Ajit Pawar sparked a wave of speculation when he mentioned he was not ‘interested’ in contesting from Baramati. It was suggested that it might now be his son, Jay Pawar’s time to shine in Baramati, as he could contest the seat his father has won 7 or 8 times. Additionally, reports were indicating that 25 NCP candidates, including Ajit Pawar, had been confirmed.
Regarding this, Tatkare stated, “Ajit Pawar is interested in Baramati. Baramati is in his DNA. Ajit Pawar will be the candidate from Baramati. The news media reported that discussions were held about 125 seats of Mahavikas Aghadi. Given this, the Mahayuti has advanced significantly ahead of the Mahavikas Aghadi. The allocation of Mahayuti seats will be done with respect, and the details will be announced soon.”
Sunil Tatkare, an MP from Raigad, stated, “Maharashtra is ahead in areas like roads, infrastructure, ports, and GDP compared to other states in the country. Everyone has contributed to Maharashtra’s development. We aim to remain in power to lead the state on a more progressive path by formulating a 25-year policy after conducting a comprehensive review of the state’s current status.”
When asked whether Ajit Pawar would become Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister, Tatkare responded by explaining that leadership in an alliance is determined after the results. He mentioned that while the NCP wishes for Ajit Pawar to lead, they are also aware of the party’s limitations. He added that alliances will remain in power for the next 15 years, as no single party will be able to form a government on its own. He also assured that there would be no obstacles in implementing development projects within the Mahayuti alliance.
RSS-linked Marathi weekly ‘Vivek’ blamed Ajit Pawar’s NCP as one of the reasons behind the BJP’s poor performance in Maharashtra Lok Sabha. Regarding this Sunil Tatkare said, “The BJP’s parent organization has not indicated that the NCP caused them any losses in the Lok Sabha elections. An article in an RSS-affiliated magazine suggests this, but it’s the author’s personal opinion. We’ve had no such experience with BJP leadership at the central or state level, where we’ve always been treated with respect. We aim to serve the people.”
Responding to questions about returning to Sharad Pawar’s camp, Tatkare stated, “The narrative of aligning with Sharad Pawar is being created to tarnish our image. We have no plans to return. We stand firm in our decision.”
“Opposition Surprised by Positive Response to Ladki Bahin”
Tatkare also pointed out that although the opposition claims the personal benefit scheme is being implemented to gain votes, the scheme’s positive response has surprised them. He added that the opposition believed they had the ‘moon’ in their hands after the Lok Sabha election results, but with the introduction of the Ladki Bahin Yojana, that ‘moon’ has slipped away. While such personal gain schemes appear popular, they are necessary to bring the underprivileged into the mainstream. He emphasized that these schemes will not hinder infrastructure development projects, as the state’s income is increasing, and its debt remains comparatively lower.
