MUMBAI: The Pawar family has united behind Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar for the Baramati Assembly bypoll, with several members also backing her as a potential chief ministerial candidate for Maharashtra.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar and NCP (SP) leader Yugendra Pawar, who had contested against Ajit Pawar in the previous election, are now campaigning for Sunetra Pawar in Baramati. Sunetra Pawar’s sons, Parth and Jay Pawar, are also actively campaigning for their mother in the bypoll.
Yugendra Pawar said that many people had long hoped that Ajit Pawar would one day become chief minister of Maharashtra, and that supporting Sunetra Pawar could help fulfil that aspiration.
“If the BJP proposes Sunetra Pawar's name for the chief minister of Maharashtra, then we will welcome the decision and will also support it. If Sunetra Pawar becomes the CM, then it will be a real tribute to Ajit Dada,” Yugendra Pawar said.
He also claimed that Sharad Pawar played a role in ensuring there would be no Congress candidate against Sunetra Pawar in the Baramati bypoll.
“Sharad Pawar spoke with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who helped Congress withdraw its candidates in Baramati bypolls,” he said.
Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister and NCP MLA Aditi Tatkare also backed Sunetra Pawar as a potential chief ministerial candidate. She said that, if it happens, Sunetra Pawar would become the first woman chief minister of Maharashtra.
Jay Pawar said the family was happy to see members of the younger generation of the Pawar family coming together to campaign for Sunetra Pawar in Baramati.
“Everyone is talking and batting for Sunetra Pawar as chief minister. We would be happy if it happens,” Jay Pawar said.
Rohit Pawar, who is also campaigning in Baramati, said there was little opposition to Sunetra Pawar and predicted she would win the bypoll by a margin of more than two lakh votes.
“We, as Pawar family members, are campaigning for Sunetra Kaki (aunty) in Baramati, not for the BJP-led Mahayuti candidate. We expected that the bypolls after the demise of Ajit Pawar should have happened unopposed. After reading the candidate names, we came to know that 22 to 23 candidates are independents and most of them are outsiders; therefore, Sunetra Kaki will get 99 per cent of the total votes of Baramati,” Rohit Pawar said.
Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had said that the BJP should show a “big heart” and make Sunetra Pawar the chief minister of Maharashtra.