B
ARAMATI: Even before the sun is over the head, Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra has already visited a village in Baramati taluka and is set for a day-long campaign in the rural parts of the constituency. The dusty roads are not new to the 51-year-old, who implemented the "eco-village" concept in Katewadi where the Pawar family resides.
At 10.30 am, the motorcade carrying Sunetra, members of district Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), local leaders enters Karhati village located along the Morgaon-Baramati road. A group of 80-100 men and women are seated on the concrete road outside the district cooperative bank under the shade of trees. Sunetravahini gets a warm welcome from the women amid much slogan raising.
For the next half hour she holds fort, listening to complaints of poor water supply and funds for building the gram panchayat building. A feisty woman from the village, Bhosaletai, makes a rousing speech thanking Ajitdada for introducing a ban on tobacco products in the state.
"I heard that Modi is going to address a rally in Baramati to defeat dada. What has he done till now for us to vote for him? They only launch agitations and protests, don't do any work," Bhosale says amidst much cheering.
Happy with the response in the village, which has a population of 5,000, Sunetra tells the crowd that this "love and support" is what drives the Pawar family. "Since the time of saheb (Sharad Pawar), we have served you and won your trust through our work. I'm visiting villages for the last five-six days and people are telling me that there is no need for me to seek votes. But then, it is also the only time when I can meet you and listen to their problems," she says.
This election, she is holding fort in the family bastion with her two sons, Parth and Jay. Both have completed their graduation and are now continuing the family tradition of social and political work.
With villagers complaining of lack of access to their dada, Sunetra promises to take their issues to the man, who she believes will become the chief minister of the state. "I try my best to solve the issues and convey to dada... and once he comes to know about any problem, it is resolved soon," she assures them, drawing a round of applause.
Reminding them that this election is different because of the break-up of the alliances, Sunetra tells them to consider themselves as candidates and campaign for the party and for dada to shoulder the responsibility of Maharashtra.
"You tell your relatives, friends and acquaintances to vote keeping aside local differences. You have to take out only one hour ... and for the next five years, you can approach dada for anything. We will definitely try to have maximum MLAs. And if we get a chance, we will definitely turn it into gold," she says.
Before she leaves, she reminds them that the Modi rally on Thursday should not affect their "trust" in the Pawar family. "Pawarsaheb and the entire family have the confidence of your support and therefore, they travel through the state for the campaign without worry. We know that Baramatikars will not be swayed by any wave or tsunami," she says.
Through Baramati town, rickshaws mounted with banners blare musical promotions of the rashtravati and as Karhati residents will say "prachand ashavadi (extremely hopeful)" of the CMship for Ajit Pawar.
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