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As the polling for Baramati concluded on Tuesday, the focus has now shifted to the other three Lok Sabha constituencies in Pune district which will go to booths on May 13.
Baramati had gained national attention as the contest was within the Pawar family with both alliance leaders aggressively campaigning in the constituency for the past few days. Sitting MP and NCP (SP) candidate Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, was challenged by NCP candidate Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar. Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar are cousins.
In Pune, the BJP is in a direct fight with Congress. The BJP has won the seat in the previous election and it is in a prestigious battle to retain it. It has fielded former mayor Murlidhar Mohol for the seat as its MP Girish Bapat had passed away last year. Congress has fielded Ravindra Dhangekar from the constituency.
For BJP candidate Mohol, party chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule held various meetings and rallies in the city on Wednesday. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be holding two election rallies on Thursday. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will also hold a rally in the city soon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed an election rally last week for Murlidhar Mohol.
BJP’s alliance partner MNS will hold an election rally in support of Mohol on Friday. MNS chief Raj Thackeray would be holding an election rally near Sarasbaug. There will be election rallies of NCP chief Ajit Pawar and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in support of Mohol.
In Shirur, the contest is between the two NCPs. Sitting MP Amol Kolhe of NCP (SP) is facing former MP Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil of NCP who had shifted from Shiv Sena. It is the second constituency after Baramati where both the NCPs are pitted against each other. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar along with state party chief Jayant Patil and leaders of Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress will be addressing multiple rallies in the constituencies in the next few days. For Adhalrao-Patil, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar addressed a rally on Wednesday in the constituency.
The Maval contest is between the two Shiv Senas. Sitting MP Shrirange Barne of Shiv Sena is facing Sanjog Waghere of Shiv Sena (UBT). Chief Minister Eknath Shinde along with Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadanvis will be holding an election rally for Barne while Uddhav Thackeray along with Sharad Pawar and Congress leaders will be campaigning for Waghere. NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Wednesday participated in the campaigning of Kolhe and Waghere in PCMC area and addressed an election rally. Part of PCMC is in Maval Lok Sabha constituency and part in Shirur constituency.
