Maharashtra’s Baramati – a stronghold of Sharad Pawar’s family – is likely to witness a high-stakes electoral battle in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra being speculated as a candidate against his cousin Supriya Sule.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar yesterday hinted at fielding a “first-timer” from Baramati against Supriya Sule.

Baramati has traditionally been a bastion of Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule. Ms Sule has represented the Baramati constituency for three consecutive terms since 2009

Sounding the election bugle, Ajit Pawar said that he would field a candidate who has not contested an election earlier, but that person would have the support of “experienced people”.

Ajit Pawar made an emotional appeal to elect the “first timer” candidate and vote for development, “People will come to you and ask for your votes on emotional issues but it is up to you to decide whether you will vote on emotional grounds or to continue development work and for the welfare of your future generations.”

“Since the formation of Maharashtra state and the commencement of elections till date, it has never happened in Baramati that the deposit of opposition candidate was not forfeited. And I am proud of it,” Mr Pawar said.

The NCP was split in July last year after Ajit Pawar along with eight other MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government.

The Election Commission earlier this month ruled the Ajit Pawar faction would be recognised as the ‘real NCP’, thereby giving it control over the party name and symbol (a clock) weeks before the Lok Sabha election and polls to fill six to-be-vacant Rajya Sabha seats in the state.

The decision played out like the Sena Vs Sena fight, in which the faction led by Eknath Shinde (made Chief Minister after rebelling and allying with the BJP) was called the ‘real Sena’, leaving Uddhav Thackeray racing, weeks before an election, to find a new identity for the party his father founded.

A day after Madhya Pradesh BJP chief VD Sharma claimed that there were Congress leaders upset with the party’s decisions, former chief minister Kamal Nath’s son Nakul Nath dropped Congress from his bio on social media.

Nakul Nath’s move has added fuel to rumours of him and father Kamal Nath defecting to the BJP, which have been doing the rounds for the last few days.

Kamal Nath will be in New Delhi later today and speculation is rife that he will hold meetings with BJP leaders.

In a major blow to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, several leaders switched sides earlier this week. Former MLA Dinesh Ahirwar and Congress District President from Vidisha Rakesh Katare joined the BJP on February 12.

BJP state president VD Sharma yesterday said that the party’s doors are open for other senior Congress leaders who are upset with the party rejecting the the invitation for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple.

When asked about speculations of Kamal Nath joining the BJP, VD Sharma said, “So today I am telling you the environment, we have kept our doors open because there are people in Congress who feel that Congress boycotts Lord Ram, India has Ram in its heart. When Congress insults him, then there are people who are pained by this, who are upset, and they should get a chance.”

“If those whose names you are taking have pain in their hearts, then they are also welcome,” Mr Sharma said while addressing a press conference in Bhopal on Friday.

Earlier this month Nakul Nath, the lone Lok Sabha Congress MP from Madhya Pradesh, declared himself as the Congress candidate from Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat. No official announcement has been made by the party yet.

“This time too, I will be your candidate for Lok Sabha elections. Rumours are going around whether Kamal Nath or Nakul Nath would contest the election, I would like to make it clear that Kamal Nath won’t contest the election, I will,” said Nakul Nath as he was addressing a gathering.

Chhindwara has long been a stronghold for Kamal Nath, who held the seat for nine consecutive terms. In the 2019 elections, despite the BJP’s victory in the other 28 seats in the state, Nakul Nath managed to secure a win from Chhindwara.

Raveena Tandon unveiled an intersection in Juhu, Mumbai named after her late father, filmmaker Ravi Tandon. 

On Saturday, Raveena Tandon took to her social media handle to share a series of photos as she unveiled a chowk in honour of Ravi Tandon on his birth anniversary.

Check it out here: 

Raveena captioned the post. “Happy Birthday Pops 🎂 #ravitandonchowk 17 February 2024” 

At the ceremony, she was joined by her mother Veena and her daughter Rasha, among others. They can be seen posing for the crowd. 

On the work front, Raveena Tandon was last seen in Karmma Calling. She is set to star in Welcome To The Jungle.