(L-R) Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar. (File image/PTI)
Sharad Pawar first became an MLA from here in 1967 on a Congress ticket. Ever since Baramati has never picked anyone other than a member of the Pawar family. For voters here, the senior Pawar is a demigod, while Ajit Pawar is someone who solves all their problems
In Pune district, approximately 100 km from the city, lies the bastion of the Pawar family—Baramati. The town has supported Sharad Pawar since the 1960s and has given an unbeaten streak to the family.
While the Pawar family and the Nationalist Congress Party seem on the verge of a split, people in Baramati do not want to let go of Sharad Pawar but support Dada (Ajit Pawar).
For voters here, the senior Pawar is a demigod, while the junior Pawar is someone who solves all their problems.
Sharad Pawar first became an MLA from here in 1967 on a Congress ticket. Ever since Baramati has never picked anyone other than a member of the Pawar family.
Since 2009, Supriya Sule has been the MP, while Ajit Pawar has been the MLA from 1991 onwards. Given this, the dynamics in the town are tricky amid the coup in the party.
In the 1960s, the political scenario in Baramati was such that it did not have a local leader. Those contesting on Congress tickets were non-locals. This is when the senior Pawar would campaign for the candidate, on the instructions of his mentor and Congress leader Yashwantrao Chavan.
“Sharad Rao used to campaign on a cycle across Baramati. He would even go to Pune. We realised that there is no local leader, and we are all voting for Congressmen, who do not understand Baramati. This is when people requested Sharad Pawar to contest the elections,” said Madhav Joshi, a professor from Baramati.
Ever since there has been no looking back for the senior Pawar. He worked to set up educational institutes in the town and district.
“He set up English-medium schools for the lowest strata of society. No one would have thought that children of farmers in Baramati would study in English schools,” added Joshi.
However, when Sharad Pawar took up responsibilities on the national front, his duties in Baramati were handed over to nephew Ajit.
“Ajit Dada is ready to serve people from 5am onwards. He has brought industrial development to Baramati,” said a party worker.
Currently, there are more than 80 schools in Baramati and the districts around, while there are more than 120 industries at Baramati MIDC, where manufacturing of chocolates for high-end brands, Indian brands manufacturing men’s wear, ice factories, etc, exist.
Voters of Baramati have attributed the educational development in the town to Sharad Pawar but believe that they got employment because of Ajit Pawar.
“For us, Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar are on the same pedestal. We believe that they will soon get together. We cannot really choose. For the betterment of Baramati, both are required,” said a resident.
Many people in Baramati are unable to decide whom they would support if they had to choose between the uncle and the nephew. They are still hopeful that there won’t be a split in the party, though the junior Pawar has made his stance clear that he would want Sharad Pawar to retire and let him lead the NCP.
The dominance of the party in this region is such that the Congress, under whose symbol Sharad and Ajit Pawar previously won in Baramati, is insignificant now.
Currently, it is always a one-sided battle between the NCP and BJP in Baramati, where the former wins with a margin of more than one lakh votes.
