As Sule heads for victory, Pawar says he knew Baramatikars will never let him down

Sharad Pawar said that he was confident that Baramatikars would remain loyal like they have done for last 60 years.

4 min readPuneJun 4, 2024 07:28 PM IST

Baramati Lok Sabha results, Supriya Sule

“I have a special bond with people of Baramati which they have once again proved... I was keen to know what happens in Baramati. The voters have lived up to my expectations,” Pawar said. (Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)

As NCP (SP) candidate Supriya Sule secured a huge majority of over 66,000 votes from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, the party’s national chief and her father Sharad Pawar said that he was confident that Baramatikars would remain loyal like they have done for last 60 years.

“I know the mindset of Baramatikars for 60 years. They have remained loyal to us. Therefore I was confident that they would remain loyal this time too and show the right path to those who have choosen the wrong path,” Pawar told reporters in Mumbai.

He was accompanied by Sule and NCP (SP) state chief Jayant Patil and party leader Jitendra Ahwad.

In the initial rounds of counting in Baramati, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s Sunetra Pawar was leading. However, Sule soon took over and continued to maintain a good lead. Though after a few rounds, the lead dropped, Sule continued to remain ahead of Sunetra Pawar.

Sharad Pawar said Baramati Assembly constituency gave 35,000 lead at the end of 15th round to Sule.

“I have a special bond with people of Baramati which they have once again proved… I was keen to know what happens in Baramati. The voters have lived up to my expectations,” he said.

The NCP led by Ajit Pawar, however, said the emotional attachment of the voters of Baramati for “Pawar saheb” finally has taken Sule towards yet another success.

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Umesh Patil, spokesperson of NCP, said, “It seems the emotional attachment of Baramatikars with Pawar saheb has finally won the day for them. No matter how much we urged voters not to fall prey to emotional appeal, they have clearly not paid attention and have voted for yet another success of Supriya Sule.”

Sule had contested from Baramati for her fourth term as MP from the constituency.

Patil said that for Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s wife, it was her first election.

“She put up a solid fight. She had campaigned very hard across the length and breadth of Baramati in extreme heat conditions… She had been in close race all throughout the counting,” Patil said.

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Vithal Maniyar, a long time friend of Sharad Pawar, said, “I never had any doubt about Supriya’s victory. I never ever imagine that Baramatikars will stray away from Pawar saheb and his family.”

During the campaigning phase, Ajit Pawar had raised doubts about Sule’s achievement as MP. “What did she do in last 15 years as MP ?,” he had said.

Maniyar said, “Such things are often said during campaigning time. There is nothing abnormal about. Supriya Sule has slogged for constituency for 15 years. She has pushed hard the development of Baramati. Ajit Pawar can be forgiven for raising doubt during campaigning period. He should remember that Sule has been honoured as best Parliamentarian as well.”

Though the Baramati election was between Sule and Sunetra, it was widely considered as a battle between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar for their supremacy over Baramati.

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However, Maniyar said, “Sharad Pawar will remain unaffected by victory or defeat. After every big event, whether it is a failure or success, he starts new innings with renewed vigour.”

Sule had first won from Baramati in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. And then she continued her victory in 2014 and 2019. In 2014, she had first tough contest from Mahadev Jankar. However, in the end she had won with a comfortable margin.

In the 2024 electon too, Sule was up against her biggest challenge of her political career as her own cousin Ajit Pawar had gone flat out to defeat her.

Ajit Pawar had even warned voters if they did not elect the candidate of his choice, the development of Baramati will take a hit.

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He, along with top Mahayuti leaders, had campaigned extensively for Sunetra Pawar.

Sunetra’s son, Parth Pawar, had planned her campaigning at least three months before the polls were announced.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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