Ajit Pawar on PM not campaigning in Baramati: ‘Big leaders do not hold rally in tehsil places’

Asked by reporters why he did not invite Modi to hold a public meeting in his support, Ajit said when leaders like Modi campaign, their rallies are organised at district headquarters, and not at tehsil places.

NCP chief and Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said leaders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stature generally do not hold campaign rallies in smaller places, and hence Modi would not be coming to Baramati.

Pawar is contesting the November 20 state assembly elections from his Baramati seat.

Asked by reporters why he did not invite Modi to hold a public meeting in his support, Ajit said when leaders like Modi campaign, their rallies are organised at district headquarters, and not at tehsil places.

“People from tehsils go and attend the rally. A rally in Pune will be for the entire district which includes Baramati,” he said.

Asked why Modi had held a rally in Baramati in 2019, he said then the objective was to defeat “a candidate named Ajit Pawar”.

Pawar, as part of the NCP led by his uncle Sharad Pawar then, was in the opposition camp in 2019.

“This time, Modi does not have to defeat that person. He wants to make him win and that is why they are not holding a rally,” said Ajit in a lighter vein.

On Thursday, Ajit Pawar had said he did not request Modi to come to Baramati constituency because the fight there is within the family.

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

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