To Fadnavis’ Rahul vs Modi contest in Baramati, Pawar says it’s for local issues at national level

Responding to deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ remarks on the Baramati battle between Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said polls in the constituency are fought on local issues and the collective power of voters here can pave the way for good work at the national level.

On DyCM’s statement during his visit to Indapur on Friday that the Baramati seat is not Pawar vs Pawar but between prime minister Modi and Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, the NCP (SCP) chief on Monday said whether the Congress leader was coming to Baramati to seek votes.

“Is he (Rahul Gandhi) coming here to seek votes? Is Modi coming here? This is a new thing now. They are not talking about voting for Maharashtra; they are talking about Modi or Gandhi. For me, this election is all about local issues translating into the collective power of voters who can pave the way for good work at the national level,” he said.

Pawar was at Baramati constituency and visited a village Undwadi Kade Pathar.

Later in the afternoon, Fadnavis responded to Pawar’s remarks at Nagpur saying, “What I had said was that a vote for Supriya Sule is a vote in favour of Rahul Gandhi while a vote for Sunetra Pawar is a vote for Narendra Modi. I can’t help if someone is not trying to understand this.”

Sharad Pawar also attacked Ajit Pawar without naming him. Pawar senior said, “For the last two decades, I have focused on national politics and empowered young leaders to take decision about local and Maharashtra issues. Nowadays, complaints are coming from locals that their work is pending. I promise that I would sort out the local issues from Baramati.”