Pune (Maharashtra): In a new twist to the ongoing battle for Baramati, a NCP leader on Wednesday threatened to ‘confine’ a Shiv Sena leader if he insists on contesting the prestigious Lok Sabha seat.
NCP’s Vice-President, Babu J Bhegade, a former municipal Corporator, warned that he would confine Shiv Sena’s Vijay Shivtare to the Maval area of Pune and not allow him to travel to Mumbai if the latter (Shivtare) decides to stand for the Baramati constituency.
The NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, is planning to nominate his wife Sunetra Ajit Pawar against his cousin and three-time sitting Baramati MP, Supriya Sule, the NCP(SP) Working President.
Nursing an old political grudge against Dy CM Ajit Pawar, the ruling ally Shiv Sena’s Shivtare has vociferously staked claim to the seat, sparking conflict in the MahaYuti alliance.
If denied a party ticket, Shivtare has even declared plans to stand as an independent and trounce Sunetra A. Pawar, embarrassing the ruling alliance and even Dy CM Ajit Pawar’s supporters.
Earlier in the week, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde summoned Shivtare twice, including on Monday, to pacify him, but the latter remained non-committal while saying he would announce his final decision in three-four days.
After Bhegade’s sudden outburst on Wednesday, a grim Shivtare dared “anybody in the NCP” to try and touch or stop him from moving around anywhere and reiterated his intention to throw his hat in the Baramati ring.
–IANS
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