Why Ajit Pawar doesn't want Modi to campaign in Baramati

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has said he did not request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a campaign rally in his Baramati constituency because the fight there is within the family.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar hold an election campaign in favour of party's candidate from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Nawab Malik and candidate from Anushakti Nagar Assembly Constituency, Sana Malik for the Maharashtra Assembly election, in Mumbai on Thursday. Photograph: ANI Photo

Pawar, the sitting MLA, is contesting against his nephew Yugendra Pawar, the candidate of the rival Nationalist Congress Party led by Sharad Pawar.

The prime minister would be holding campaign rallies for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections starting Friday.

Contest in Baramati is within the family, Ajit told reporters here on Thursday when asked why the PM would not be holding a rally in his constituency.

The NCP led by Ajit Pawar is part of the ruling coalition along with the BJP and Shiv Sena.

Asked about NCP candidates also not seeking rallies of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders like Amit Shah in their constituencies, Pawar said it could be because there is not much time left for campaigning, and also due to the limit on election expenses.

Earlier in the day, when asked what would be his margin of victory in Baramati, the NCP chief said he would be able to tell that after moving around the constituency and talking to people. But I can say with one hundred per cent certainty that it would be a good lead, he said.

In the 2019 state elections, Ajit Pawar had won by a record 1.65 lakh votes, defeating BJP's Gopichand Kundlik Padalkar.