Ajit Pawars Emotional Gambit: Baramati And The Battle For Voter Sentiment

Ajit Pawar, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, is known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, which sometimes lands him in hot water—remember his controversial comments during Maharashtra's drought?

While he lacks the finesse of playing the emotional card like his uncle, Sharad Pawar, the upcoming Vidhan Sabha polls are shaping up to be a high-wire act for him. Ajit seems to be borrowing a page from his uncle's playbook. His recent remark about letting "someone else be elected as Baramati MLA" is seen as a bid to tug at voters' heartstrings.

The Lok Sabha polls were a bitter pill for Ajit, marking his party's first major electoral test after breaking away from Sharad Pawar in July 2023. Of the four candidates his faction fielded, three were defeated, including his wife, Sunetra Pawar, who contested from Baramati.

Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar, despite losing his party's symbol and name, proved a tough nut to crack, winning eight seats. His emotional appeal, casting himself as a victim of betrayal, struck a chord with the electorate. Even in the run-up to the Vidhan Sabha elections, Sharad Pawar remains a thorn in Ajit's side, with several leaders from Ajit's camp jumping ship.

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Ajit, recently, stated that he wants someone else to represent Baramati to allow voters to compare his long-standing track record with a new MLA. He held the seat since 1991, inheriting it from Sharad Pawar, and insists he is satisfied with his contributions. Ajit conceded that pitting his wife, Sunetra, against his cousin, Supriya Sule, was a misstep, acknowledging that "society does not accept those who betray their own family."

His comments are stirring mixed reactions. Some political pundits see them as a desperate appeal to sentiment, sensing a potential defeat, while the NCP (SP) views them as a ploy to sow confusion. Recently, Ajit hinted that someone else could contest Baramati if his party workers wished, sparking rumours he might step aside, only to later backtrack and blame the media for twisting his words.

Speculation is rife that if Ajit bows out, his younger son, Jai, who has been making more public appearances, could be fielded as a candidate. Ajit, previously, launched his elder son Parth into politics, giving him the Maval seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, though Parth lost and has since stayed out of the political limelight.

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Jitendra Dixit is an author and consulting editor of NDTV.

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