Baramati: BJP highlights issues in constituency, eyeing to defeat NCP

BJP is making a fresh bid to make a dent into Pawar family's stronghold of Baramati in upcoming Maharashtra polls by picking holes in NCP's development claims. While BJP is highlighting water scarcity and b condition of ros in Baramati Assembly segment located in Pune district, NCP, which harps on development brought by it in constituency, is making light of saffron challenge, saying it faces " contest" at all. saffron party has pinned its hopes on Gopichand Palkar, a Dhangar (shepherd) community leer, who faces a formidable challenge from NCP leer MLA Ajit Pawar, former state deputy chief minister and Shar Pawar's nephew. Ajit Pawar, who recently resigned as MLA, is seeking a re-election from Baramati, a prominent constituency in sugar belt of western Maharashtra.

"Change will come this time", says BJP candidate Palkar

During Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, NCP chief Shar Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule defeated BJP's Kanchan Kul by over one lakh votes from Baramati parliamentary constituency. However, unperturbed by Lok Sabha poll defeat, Palkar is confident of winning Baramati Assembly seat, claiming that a "change will come this time". Palkar, who contested Lok Sabha polls from Sangli as Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghi candidate against BJP's Sanjay Kaka Patil, joined saffron party earlier this month. He said after his candidature was anunced by Chief Minister Devendra Fnavis, he has me Baramati his base and is reaching out to people in all 117 vills of segment. "A different picture is being portrayed about development model of Baramati, but reality is different. Forget about rural parts of Baramati, re are several areas in town where people are facing water scarcity," he claimed while talking to PTI. Locals in constituency have been demanding better ros, water and or infrastructure, he said. "People here are terrified, but I am speaking to m and trying to enthuse confidence. I am sure that this time more and more people will come and vote for BJP and a change will take place," said Palkar, who hails from Sangli.

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Dhangar community has a sizeable vote bank in constituency. Referring to it, Palkar said, "Though I am a Dhangar, I feel one should t give a caste colour to this election as people from all sections, castes are with me. This election is important from development point of view." On his vision for Baramati, BJP minee said his main focus will be to dress water issue and job creation for youth in various industrial areas of constituency. He also said that NCP's prospects will be affected because of "internal feud" in Pawar family. However, NCP dismissed Palkar's claims of lack of development in area, saying it faces " contest" at all in constituency. "re is contest at all... entire Maharashtra kws kind of development Ajit Pawar has done in Baramati," NCP's district President Prip Garatkar said. He said BJP was trying to play "Dhangar card", but people were with NCP and saffron party's strategy "will t work".

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Maj Wagh, a teacher from Baramati, also said NCP does t face any challenge in constituency. "It is a mystery why BJP never fields a strong or local candidate against Pawars. Even if Palkar is a Dhangar, re is a doubt that whole community will consolidate in his favour," he said. NCP has a strong base and infrastructure here, including cooperatives, industries, textiles, milk production, agro firms and educational institutes, he ded. According to some locals, Dhangar votes will t consolidate this time in favour of Palkar, way it happened during 2014 Lok Sabha elections in support Rashtriya Samaj Paksha candidate Mahev Jankar. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Sule defeated Jankar by around 69,000 votes while in 2009 parliamentary elections, she won by around three lakh votes. re are over three lakh voters in Baramati Assembly segment, which consists of rural as well as urban pockets, with agriculture, especially sugarcane cultivation, being major occupation of people. In 2014 Assembly polls, Ajit Pawar, a six-term MLA from NCP bastion, defeated BJP's Prabhakar Daram Gawe by around 90,000 votes. Polling for all 288 Assembly seats in state will be held on October 21 and counting of votes will take place on October 24.

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