Maharashtra | Ajit Pawar our 'captain', will contest from Baramati, says Bhujbal

Mumbai, Sept 9 (PTI) Maharashtra cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday called NCP president and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar as the "captain" of the party and emphasised he would contest the upcoming assembly polls from Baramati, his home turf in Pune district.

Bhujbal's assertion came a day after Ajit Pawar suggested Baramati should get a new MLA so that the constituency's voters realise his importance.

The Nationalist Congress Party president is the sitting MLA from Baramati, which is part of the Lok Sabha seat of the same name which is represented by his cousin Supriya Sule of the rival NCP faction led by veteran politician Sharad Pawar.

Speaking at a gathering in Baramati on Sunday, Ajit Pawar remarked that despite undertaking extensive development works in the constituency, voters did not support him during the recent Lok Sabha elections, where his wife Sunetra was pitted against Sule, who won for the fourth consecutive times.

Sunetra Pawar lost the elections to Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, by more than 1.50 lakh votes.

Ajit Pawar said once there is a new representative, the people of the Baramati assembly constituency will realise his importance.

Asked about the possibility of the NCP president not seeking re-election from Baramati, his party colleague and minister Bhujbal asserted, "Ajit Pawar is our captain. He can not put down weapons like this. He will contest from the Baramati assembly constituency and win with a huge margin." Assembly polls in Maharashtra are likely to be held in November.

The NCP is part of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, which also consists of the Shiv Sena and the BJP. PTI