"This election is for the development of Baramati": Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar casts his vote

Baramati (Maharashtra) [India], May 7 (ANI): Voting for the third phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 began on Tuesday morning in 93 constituencies across 11 states and Union Territories (UTs). In Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar cast his vote at Gangubai Kate Zila Parishad Prathamik school, booth no. 224 Katewadi at Baramati constituency.

Baramati is witnessing a star-studded fight in these elections. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar is the candidate of the BJP led Maha Yuti alliance while his sister Supriya Sule is the Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate. The constituency is considered to be the pocket borough of the Pawar family with Sharad Pawar having represented it multiple times after first being elected to the seat in 1984. However, with a fight within the Pawar family, this seat has become a symbol of the larger fight in Maharashtra. 

Speaking to reporters after casting his vote the Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said that the elections are for the development of Baramati and other constituencies in Maharashtra.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said, "The party leaders and the workers who campaign for their candidate always believe that their candidate will win. This is the beginning. It is still not 6 pm. I am sure people will support our candidate. This election is for the development of Baramati and other constituencies and not Pawar vs Pawar."

He said that after 6 pm percentage voting would be decided but he was confident that people would stand behind the Nationalist Congress Party.

"For the next five years there should be stability and BJP-led Maha Yuti will work according to it," he added.

The polling started for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday at 7:00 am.

The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed.

In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray.

A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Seventy-five delegates from 23 countries will see the poll process, the poll panel said. (ANI)