Maharashtra Lok Sabha elections: Voting in Baramati will take place in the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls on May 7 along with Raigad, Osmanabad, Latur (SC), Solapur (SC), Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, and Hatkanangle.
It, however, remains to be seen whether Baramati votes for Sunetra vahini or elects Supriya tai to the Lok Sabha for the fourth time.
Lok Sabha elections phase 3: The Baramati Lok Sabha constituency in Pune, known for its sugar factories, has been a traditional stronghold for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Supriya Sule of the now Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) has won from this constituency in three consecutive Lok Sabha elections.
The Baramati Lok Sabha or parliamentary constituency comprises 6 Assembly seats: Indapur, Baramati, Purandar, Bhor, Khadakwasla and Daund. Voting in Baramati will take place in the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls on May 7 along with Raigad, Osmanabad, Latur (SC), Solapur (SC), Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, and Hatkanangle.
Baramati– an NCP stronghold
The constituency, located in Pune, has been an NCP stronghold ever since the party was formed in 1999. In 1999, Sharad Pawar won the seat for the first time on an NCP ticket. Five years later, Pawar repeated his victory from the Lok Sabha constituency in 2004.
This time, Sharad Pawar bagged more than 6.34 lakh votes and commanded a vote share of 63.08 per cent. BJP’s Prithviraj Sahebrao Jachak was a distant second with over 2.11 lakh votes and a vote share of 23.70 per cent.
After this, his daughter Supriya Sule won from the seat for the first time in 2009. In this general election, Sule emerged victorious by more than 4.87 lakh votes and a vote share of 66.46 per cent. In the 2014 general elections, Sule again won from Baramati but with a much lesser vote share.
In this election, Supriya Sule got more than 5.21 lakh votes but a vote share of around 49 per cent. The situation, however, improved in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls when Supriya Sule won from Baramati with more than 6.86 lakh votes and a vote share of 52.63 per cent.
Welcome Sunetra Pawar, the political entrant in the Pawar family
In the ongoing 2024 general elections, the winning streak of Supriya Sule from Baramati is at risk because of the rebellion of Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar and the latter’s subsequent defection to the Shiv Sena-BJP government as deputy CM. Pawar’s defection to the ruling camp has triggered an intense electoral battle as Sule faces an uphill challenge from Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar.
Supriya Sule’s emotional note to voters of Baramati
As a result of the split within the NCP, Supriya Sule is now contesting with a new symbol tuttari or the blow horn whereas her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar is contesting on the original clock symbol of the NCP. Due to the disadvantage of an unfamiliar party symbol, Sule has went the emotional route.
She has now framed the electoral fight as a tussle between her father Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. She claims that Ajit Pawar has allegedly usurped the party under pressure from investigative agencies while her father Sharad Pawar built Baramati over five decades, much before the NCP was even formed. Furthermore, Supriya Sule has also invoked the legacy of her grandmother Shardabai Pawar, a pioneering woman politician in Pune.
Sunetra Pawar’s focus on local issues
Though a political novice, Sunetra Pawar has stayed away from the nostalgia card that her opponent and sister-in-law Supriya Sule is using to her full advantage. Instead, Sunetra Pawar has focused squarely on local issues concerning Baramati in her campaign.
The new entrant to politics from the Pawar family has placed her focus on issues like water scarcity as well as Maratha and Dhangar reservation. On the issue of Maratha and Dhangar reservation, Sunetra Pawar has highlighted the government’s failure to resolve the same.
The ruling Mahayuti has announced Sunetra Pawar’s candidature from Baramati as a way to mobilise the support of the Dhangar community, which comprises around 40 per cent of the voters, in her favour. She has also raised the issue of the controversy over the NCP party symbol with the Election Commission of India (ECI). Her speeches focus on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dada (Sharad Pawar).
Baramati demographics
Baramati is a predominantly rural constituency as 78 per cent of the electorate comes from the rural zones whereas 22 per cent of it comes from the urban zones. Baramati is a Hindu majority constituency, with 90 per cent Hindus.
It also has a 5 per cent Muslim minority and the remaining 5 per cent representing other faiths. Scheduled Castes (SC) comprise 12.3 per cent whereas Scheduled Tribes (STs) account for 2 per cent of the population.
