“Beware of emotional appeal of last election”: Ajit targets Sharad Pawar in Baramati

Deputy chief minister and rebel Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday took a dig at his 83-year-old uncle Sharad Pawar by alluding to his age and speaking about the “emotional appeal of last election.”

Without naming Sharad Pawar, the nephew asked Baramati voters not to fall prey to “emotional appeal” such as the evocation of “last election”.

‘’I do not know when some people are going to stop. There might be a sentimental appeal that this would be the last election. Do not know which will be the last election,” Ajit said while addressing a gathering in Baramati in Pune district.

Pawar also asked locals to vote for the candidate he plans to announce in coming days.

‘’You listened to a senior for so many years. Now, listen to me and vote for the Lok Sabha candidate I am going to field. I can then tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi that people have voted for my candidate,’’ said Ajit.

The NCP (Sharad Pawar camp) hit back at Ajit with party legislator Jitendra Awhad attacking the deputy chief minister for ‘’crossing all limits of decency’’ with his remarks.

“Ajit Pawar must think about his inhuman comments in which he allegedly prayed for the death of Sharad Pawar. Maharashtra now knows what kind of a man he is,” Awhad said.

“Sharad Pawar’s contribution to Maharashtra will stay on forever,’’ he added.

Sharad Pawar remained undefeated in Assembly and Lok Sabha polls since the late 1960s and has stopped contesting Lok Sabha polls since 2014 and instead is a member of the upper house for the second term.

Baramati Lok Sabha constituency is being represented by his daughter Supriya Sule, who is all set to contest the polls once again from the same seat.

With Baramati most likely to go to Ajit Pawar camp in the seat-sharing between BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance, the deputy chief minister has started preparing for his faction’s Lok Sabha plans from Pawar pocket borough.