Maharashtra assembly elections 2024: Ajit Pawar says he didn't seek PM's rally as Baramati contest is within family

Ajit Pawar. Pic/X

Ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections 2024, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has said he did not request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a campaign rally in his Baramati constituency because the fight there is within the family, reported news agency PTI.

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

The prime minister would be holding campaign rallies for the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024 starting Friday.

"Contest in Baramati is within the family," Ajit Pawar told reporters on Thursday when asked why the PM would not be holding a rally in his constituency, reported PTI.

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

Asked about NCP candidates also not seeking rallies of senior BJP leaders like Amit Shah in their constituencies, Pawar said it could be because there is not much time left for campaigning, and also due to the limit on election expenses, reported PTI.

Earlier in the day, when asked what would be his margin of victory in Baramati, the NCP chief said he would be able to tell that after moving around the constituency and talking to people. "But I can say with one hundred per cent certainty that it would be a good lead," he said, reported PTI.

In the 2019 state elections, Ajit Pawar had won by a record 1.65 lakh votes, defeating BJP's Gopichand Kundlik Padalkar.

Oppn 'bluffing' by assuring Rs 3,000 monthly aid to women: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday claimed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was "bluffing" by promising Rs 3,000 per month to women in the state if the opposition alliance comes to power after the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024.

Talking to reporters here, NCP leader Pawar noted that when the Mahayuti government offered Rs 1,500 per month to women under its Ladki Bahin Yojana, the opposition questioned its feasibility.

The MVA alliance, comprising Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar, on Wednesday promised Rs 3,000 per month to women in Maharashtra.

Responding to the MVA's guarantee, Ajit Pawar said the opposition was resorting to "bluffing" by making such promises.

He said the decision to give Rs 1,500 (per month) under the Ladki Bahin Yojana was made because it was feasible.

"Today, if they claim to give Rs 3,000 per month to women, the expenditure may reach Rs 90,000 crore. They are also promising Rs 4,000 per month to unemployed youth, and if there are one lakh unemployed youth who benefit, the expenditure on that scheme will be around Rs 40,000 crore," he pointed out.

"So, Rs 1.5 lakh crore will be needed for these two schemes, while the state budget is Rs 7 lakh crore. How will they manage salaries, pensions, and interest on loans?" the deputy CM said.

(With inputs from PTI)