‘Every inch a Pawar kin’: In Baramati, a new scion rises as Yugendra battles it out with Ajit

The hectic enactment astatine Govindbaug is simply a pointer to a caller circular of the Pawar versus Pawar conflict shaping up successful the Pawars’ pouch borough of Baramati.

A small later, dressed successful a achromatic kurta-pyjama, Yugendra emerges from Govindbaug, a scarf marked with the symbols of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties draped astir him. He patiently listens to his supporters portion besides replying to reporters’ questions earlier stepping retired astatine 8.30 am.

On Yugendra’s itinerary for Wednesday are astatine slightest 12 villages of the constituency — Dhakale, Jalkewadi, Saibachiwadi, Mudale, Kanadwadi, Moralwadi, Modve, Murti, Jogwadi, Ambi Budurk, Morgaon and Jalgaon KP.

Half an hr later, helium arrives successful Dhakale to an antithetic reception, wherever the assemblage does not spell delirious upon seeing him but is intent connected listening to him. Yugendra archetypal heads to the section temple to wage obeisance to the deity and prepares to code a country gathering successful its premises.

As a villager successful his mid-40s, clad successful a floral garment and a brownish pants, who introduces him to the gathering, tells him however Dhakale had preferred Pawar’s girl Supriya Sule implicit Ajit’s woman Sunetra Pawar arsenic the Baramati MP successful the caller Lok Sabha polls, Yugendra rapidly takes to the mic and spells retired numbers from his expanse to item however their enactment ensured Sule was ahead. He acknowledgment the villagers.

“I person toured the full constituency 3 oregon 4 times already. You excessively should spell astir the colony and effort to conscionable each and each person… Every ballot matters successful this election,” helium cautions his supporters.

His entreaty to his supporters underlines the information that helium faces a pugnacious situation successful Baramati against Ajit, who is seeking a grounds ninth word arsenic an MLA from the seat.

Yugendra past turns to the “real problems” plaguing the constituency – h2o shortage – which helium says has emerged arsenic a superior issue. “Baramati taluka is reeling from h2o shortage. Pawar saheb brought the Jinai-Shirsai assistance irrigation scheme. However, lone 80% of it has been implemented and frankincense h2o is not reaching here. Even immoderate pockets of Baramati metropolis bash not get drinking water. My precedence volition beryllium to guarantee h2o for each Baramatikar,” helium says arsenic the assemblage breaks into applause.

Making his electoral debut, Yugendra says helium wants to beryllium identified arsenic 1 among the people. “I privation to onslaught a adjacent rapport with them,” helium says.

As an educated youngster successful his mid-20s questions him connected the deficiency of jobs successful Baramati. Yugendra, 33, breaks into a grin and claims, “Not a azygous caller manufacture has been acceptable up successful Baramati implicit the past respective years. This is dissimilar erstwhile Pawar saheb was the CM. The deficiency of jobs is forcing youths to migrate. Give maine a chance. I volition acceptable up an IT hub present connected the lines of Hinjewadi (IT hub) successful Pune. Then, we volition person plentifulness of jobs.”

With the youngster seemingly satisfied with his response, the NCP (SP) campaigner turns to different “real problem” – garbage. Holding that Baramati had “mountains of garbage” everywhere, Yugendra calls for the exertion that Israel uses, to person trash into gas, to beryllium implemented successful the constituency.

Significantly, successful his campaign, Yugendra keeps showering praises connected his granduncle, seemingly successful a bid to marque it a Pawar versus Ajit contest. “It is not precisely a Pawar versus Ajit conflict but we person to support the ‘swabhimaan’ (self-respect) of Pawar saheb. All his life, helium served Baramatikars, Maharashtra and India…We person to fortify his hands and bring him and [Shiv Sena (UBT) chief] Uddhav Thackery backmost to powerfulness to guarantee development,” helium urges the crowd.

Giving recognition to Pawar for ensuring “rapid development” of the constituency, Yugendra, successful an evident excavation astatine his uncle, says: “Baramati has suffered arsenic its improvement has been deed hard successful the aboriginal stages.”

Yugendra past shifts from the “real problems” to slamming the BJP for “breaking the enactment (NCP) which Pawar saheb floated and nurtured”. “Today, leaders of the BJP-led Mahayuti are bowing earlier their masters successful Delhi portion being mute spectators arsenic our concern units being spirited distant to Gujarat, depriving lakhs of younker of employment opportunities,” helium alleges, concluding his address. He past interacts with section residents earlier heading disconnected to his adjacent destination.

However, helium refrains from attacking Ajit and makes nary notation to him successful his speeches. “I bash not privation to get personal. I lone privation to item my imaginativeness for Baramati and the affirmative things which I mean to implement,” helium tells The Indian Express.

Preferring “interactive” meetings to one-sided speeches, each of Yugendra’s meetings draws a assemblage of astir 150-200 people, mostly youths who look funny to interact with him. “I came present to spot however helium looks and speaks. He looks each inch similar a Pawar household member,” says Ashok, who is successful his aboriginal twenties.

Many from some agrarian and municipality belts successful the constituency look to repose their religion successful Ajit, but judge it would beryllium a pugnacious contest. “Though Yugendra is new, helium has the backing of Pawar saheb. This time, it volition not beryllium casual for Ajit, though helium has done a batch for Baramati,” says Balasaheb Nanware, a Baramati resident.

The caller scion of the Pawar household proceeds to Jalkewadi and Saibachiwadi, wherever helium again highlights the constituency’s “water woes”. He past proceeds to code a country gathering astatine Modale earlier interacting with the villagers of Kannadwadi successful the afternoon.

In Jalgaon KP village, respective voters look to favour the NCP chief. “Ajitdada has been MLA 7 times. Our h2o problems person eased due to the fact that of him. Yugendra is caller and is putting successful a batch of hard enactment but dada has already done a batch for Baramati,” says Bhau Kashid.

To dispel fears of his “inexperience”, Yugendra often invokes his celebrated household and tries to person radical of his “credentials”. “In 1967, Pawar saheb contested for the archetypal time, past it was Ajit Pawar successful the 1990s and aboriginal the baton passed connected to Sule and Rohit Pawar. Everyone was caller erstwhile they started off. Similarly, I americium besides new. Give maine an accidental to beryllium my mettle,” helium tells the gatherings.