Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar on Thursday extended an invitation to Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, and the two deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar for lunch at his Baramati residence on Saturday when the state leadership will visit the constituency to inaugurate several developmental projects.
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In a letter addressed to Shinde, Fadnavis and his nephew Ajit, the veteran leader said that this is the first time that Shinde will be visiting Baramati after becoming the chief minister. "After taking oath as CM of the state, the CM is coming to Baramati for the first time and I am very glad about his visit to attend the Namo Maharojgar Event in Baramati. Therefore I would like to extend the invitation for the meal at my residence after the event along with his other Cabinet colleagues," the letter read as shared by news agency ANI.
He further said that he, along with his daughter and incumbent Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, would like to attend the Namo Maharojgar event, being the legislators of the constituency.
{{/usCountry}}He further said that he, along with his daughter and incumbent Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, would like to attend the Namo Maharojgar event, being the legislators of the constituency.
{{/usCountry}}"I am aware that you are coming to Baramati for a government event on March 2. Being MPs, my daughter and I would like to attend the event," the letter read.
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Sharad Pawar's invitation to the state leadership comes days after speculations were made that Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar could contest against Sule in Baramati in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Ajit Pawar had made an emotional appeal to his constituents to elect a “first timer” who is though surrounded by “experienced people.”
While speaking to his party workers, Ajit Pawar, who joined the Eknath Shinde government along with eight MLAs in July last year, leading to a split in the Sharad Pawar-founded NCP, told party workers in Baramati that he would field a candidate who has not contested an election earlier, but that person would have the support of those with ample experience. People, he added, should vote for his candidate as if he himself were in the fray.
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The Baramati Lok Sabha constituency has traditionally been a bastion of Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule. Sule was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2006, followed by three consecutive terms in 2009, 2014 and 2019 as MP in Lok Sabha.
(With inputs from agencies)