NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra, while Ajit Pawar’s rival faction is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which also includes the BJP and the Shiv Sena faction belonging to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Baramati voted on May 7 in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024.

“It is difficult to predict the outcome of Baramati considering the contest within the Pawar family. Voters have been very secretive in disclosing their vote in the prevailing political situation in the constituency. Whatever might be the result, it is certain to have an impact on the political career of all Pawar’s active in electoral politics,” said Prakash Pawar, political expert and former head of the political science department at Shivaji University.

If Sule wins, he said, the political outcome should be seen as more of goodwill and sympathy for Pawar Sr. “Both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar had political enemies in the constituency but those of Pawar Sr. had turned old and unlikely to have an adverse impact on the performance of his daughter Sule. The political enemies of Ajit Pawar are comparatively young and still having influence on voters which could be the reason for the defeat of his wife,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sunetra Pawar personally has nothing to lose but her loss will have an impact on the political career of her husband Ajit at the state and national level, Prakash Pawar said, “If Sunetra Pawar wins it will be seen as a victory of Ajit over Pawar Sr and would establish his leadership in Baramati , if not the state. It should not be seen as an end of career for Sule as the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray and Congress will stand by her and can get her in Rajya Sabha.”

“The Congress has respect for Pawar Sr that is evident from the fact that senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, treat the veteran leader. Moreover, it was Pawar Sr who has kept alive the values ​​of Congress in the state after former chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan,” Prakash Pawar said, adding that the Congress would remain close with Pawar Sr.

Political observer Sunil Kunjir, who is also a native of Baramati, said this contest was never between Sunetra and Sule but between Ajit and Pawar Sr. Thus, its result will have a lasting impact on the political career of members of the Pawar family. If Sule wins, then it would be a strong message to Ajit Pawar that his leadership has not been accepted in Baramati, and he will have to work from scratch to establish his hold. It will also mean that if a leader can’t win his home constituency, then how will he lead a party; so it is a must-win situation for Ajit,” he said.

Kunjir said, “Pawar Sr had a long political career, so nothing will affect his future, but the Baramati result will affect the career of his daughter Sule. The NCP led by Pawar Sr and the Congress follow the same ideology, so it might lead to the merger of the two parties.”