Ajit Pawar Explains Modi’s Absence from Baramati Campaign Trail Ahead of Maharashtra Assembly Elections
Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Friday addressed questions regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence from the election campaign trail in Baramati, where Pawar is contesting the state assembly elections set for November 20.
In a conversation with the media, Ajit Pawar explained that it is typical for leaders of Prime Minister Modi’s stature to hold rallies at district headquarters, rather than in smaller tehsils or constituencies. He emphasized that large political rallies are often organized in prominent urban centers such as Pune, which encompass a broader geographical region, including Baramati.
“Leaders like Modi generally campaign in major district headquarters. The rally in Pune, for instance, would be intended for the entire district, including Baramati,” Pawar said. He further clarified that people from surrounding tehsils attend such rallies, making it unnecessary for smaller towns or constituencies to host individual events.
When asked about Modi’s rally in Baramati in 2019, when Ajit Pawar was in the opposition, the Deputy CM explained that the objective back then was to target him as a candidate. “In 2019, the rally was aimed at defeating a candidate named Ajit Pawar,” he remarked. This year, however, the scenario is different, with Ajit Pawar now part of the ruling coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena. In a lighter vein, he added, “This time, Modi doesn’t have to defeat that person. He wants to make him win, and that’s why they are not holding a rally.”
Ajit Pawar’s comments come in the context of a heated family political battle in Baramati. While he is contesting on behalf of the NCP faction led by his uncle, Sharad Pawar, the rival candidate in the constituency is his nephew, Yugendra Pawar, who is backed by the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar. This division within the family has contributed to a complex electoral scenario in the region.
Earlier this week, Ajit Pawar had made it clear that he did not request Modi to campaign in Baramati because the electoral contest there is a “family matter.” Pawar’s candidacy against his own nephew highlights the fractured nature of the NCP, where the leadership split has resulted in competing factions vying for control over the party’s political legacy.
As the state heads toward elections on November 20, all eyes will be on Baramati, a constituency that has long been a stronghold for the Pawar family. With both factions of the NCP now in opposing alliances — Ajit Pawar’s faction in the ruling coalition and Sharad Pawar’s faction aligned with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) — the contest promises to be one of the most closely watched in this year’s state elections.
The absence of Modi’s rally in Baramati, despite his prominence in Maharashtra’s electoral campaigns, serves as a reminder of the shifting political dynamics in the state. While Modi remains a key figure in the BJP’s electoral strategy, Ajit Pawar’s remarks suggest a more pragmatic and localized approach to campaigning in his own constituency.
