New Delhi:

Mama vs Dada in Madhya Pradesh and a cricketer making his poll debut against a political veteran in West Bengal – the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections today will encompass 95 constituencies spread across 12 states. The Betul constituency in Madhya Pradesh, originally slated for Phase 2, has been rescheduled for Phase 3 due to the death of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate. All 26 constituencies of Gujarat will cast their votes in a single phase, along with two constituencies in Goa. The remaining 14 constituencies in Karnataka, predominantly situated in north Karnataka, are also scheduled for polling on the same day, marking the conclusion of voting in the state.

Ahead of the polls, here is a look at some of the key battles:

Gandhinagar: Amit Shah vs Sonal Patel

Gujarat’s Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency is a key stronghold for the BJP. Since 1989, it has consistently delivered victories to the party, spanning six terms for BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani and, and most recently in 2019, for Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who secured a comprehensive win by over 5 lakh votes. As the elections approach this year, the Home Minister faces Congress candidate Sonal Patel, aiming to maintain the constituency’s allegiance to the BJP.

Mainpuri: Dimple Yadav vs Jaiveer Singh vs Shiv Prasad Yadav

The incumbent Mainpuri MP, Dimple Yadav, faces a formidable opponent in Jaiveer Singh of the BJP. While initially perceived as a head-to-head battle, the entry of Shiv Prasad Yadav from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has presented a third contender. Dimple Yadav, who clinched Mainpuri in a bypoll following the death of Mulayam Singh Yadav in 2022, secured victory with a surge of sympathy votes. This upcoming election poses as the primary litmus test for her. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the contest was confined to the BJP and SP, with Mulayam Singh Yadav emerging victorious against BJP’s Prem Singh Shakya.

Baramati: Supriya Sule vs Sunetra Pawar

In Maharashtra’s Baramati, all eyes are fixed on the Pawar family rift as the stage is being readied for a clash between Supriya Sule, representing the Sharad Pawar faction of NCP, and her cousin Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar, the NCP candidate. Since 2009, Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar’s daughter and the incumbent MP, has consistently won in this constituency. Baramati has long been a stronghold of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, dating back to his tenure as an MLA in 1967. Throughout subsequent Lok Sabha elections, candidates backed by him have emerged victorious in Baramati, including Ajit in 1991. Sharad Pawar himself held the parliamentary seat from 1996 until Supriya succeeded him.

Shivamogga: BY Raghavendra vs Geetha Shivarajkumar vs KS Eshwarappa

In the Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka, KS Eshwarappa, the suspended BJP leader has announced his intention to run as an independent candidate, challenging the incumbent MP, BY Raghavendra, son of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, and Geetha Shivrajkumar, the Congress candidate, spouse of Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar and daughter of another Karnataka Chief Minister Sarekoppa Bangarappa.

This parliamentary area, consisting of eight assembly segments, has been firmly under the control of the Yediyurappa family since 2009. In the 2009 general elections, BY Raghavendra secured victory with a margin of over 4.82 lakh votes and a vote share of 50.58 per cent. In 2014, he relinquished the seat to his father, BS Yediyurappa, who triumphed with a commanding lead of over 6 lakh votes and a 53.69 per cent vote share. Returning to Raghavendra in 2019, he secured a landslide victory with over 7.29 lakh votes and a vote share of 56.86 per cent.

Berhampore: Yusuf Pathan vs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Berhampore in West Bengal has long been a stronghold for the Congress party. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the current MP, has held this position since 1999. In both the 2019 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Mr Chowdhury secured victory over candidates from Trinamool Congress (TMC) by considerable margins. As the 2024 Lok Sabha elections approach, Berhampore is in for a contest between Mr Chowdhury, Nirmal Kumar Saha of the BJP and ex-cricketer Yusuf Pathan of the TMC.  Mr Chowdhury has represented the Congress party in Berhampore for three consecutive terms from 2009 to 2019. The Congress veteran also triumphed in the 2016 Assembly elections across all seven Assembly segments falling within the constituency.

Vidisha: Shivraj Singh Chouhan vs Bhanu Pratap Sharma

In Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha, it will be a contest between Mama and Dada. Since 1967, the Jana Sangh has predominantly held the Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency and subsequently the BJP, with only two exceptions in 1980 and 1984 when the Congress candidate, Pratap Bhanu Sharma, secured the seat. From 1989 onwards, BJP representatives have consistently won the Vidisha seat. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who served five terms from 1991 to 2004, is now making a comeback after nearly two decades to vie for the seat. He faces Mr Sharma, the sole Congress victor in this constituency’s history. Mr Chouhan’s rapport with voters affectionately referred to as “Mamaji,” has only strengthened since his tenure as Chief Minister ended.

Guna: Jyotiraditya Scindia vs Congress’ Rao Yadvendra Singh Yadav

More than four years after joining the BJP from the Congress, Jyotiraditya Scindia is set to make his debut as a BJP candidate in the Lok Sabha, aiming to regain his family’s historical stronghold in Guna. Mr Scindia’s grandmother, Vijayaraje Scindia, had secured the Guna seat in 1957 under the Congress banner. Subsequently, she aligned with the Bharatiya Jan Sangh and later the BJP. She served the constituency for five additional terms, including one under the Swatantra Party in 1967, followed by four consecutive terms with the BJP from 1989 to 1998. The Congress has put forth Rao Yadvendra Singh Yadav, seeking to unite the influential Yadav community in opposition to Mr Scindia.

Pune:

The 2024 Lok Sabha polls will decide the future of the country, said Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday in Baramati, where his wife Sunetra Pawar is the ruling alliance candidate.

She is up against three time MP Supriya Sule, who is her sister-in-law and daughter of Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar.

“This election is not about a village or about (familial) relations. This election will decide the future of the country,” he said at a rally organised for Sunetra Pawar in Ambegaon, where his party functionaries from Bhor and Velha assembly segments were present.

“Show me open land and I will get a sports complex constructed there. Funds will be granted for the ropeway facility at Raigad fort. The demand to rename Vekha taluka as Raigad was fulfilled. I have worked hard for the Maratha community,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

Those who won polls on the ‘clock’ symbol (of the undivided NCP) used to criticise PM Narendra Modi, whereas the ones who will win on the symbol this time will support the Prime Minister, Ajtit Pawar said.

The NCP split in July last year after Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde government. The Election Commission later gave the party name and ‘clock’ symbol to his faction while the one led by Sharad Pawar is called NCP(SP) and its symbol is ‘man blowing turha’.

“Think calmly about what work they did in the last 15 years and then vote,” Ajit Pawar said in an apparent reference to Supriya Sule who is MP from Baramati since 2009. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Pune (Maharashtra):

NCP (Sharad Chandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule on Sunday said that the BJP’s has conspired to field her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, against her in the Baramati Lok Sabha seat with an aim to finish the party chief Sharad Pawar.

In an exclusive interaction with ANI in Pune, Ms Sule said, “My fight is not against a person, but their mindset and policies. You have witnessed me in politics for the past 18 years; I have never made any personal comment on anyone.”

Ms Sule said Sunetra Pawar is the wife of her “elder brother and the elder sister-in-law is considered a mother.”

“It’s dirty politics by the BJP. Sunetra Pawar, being my elder brother’s wife, holds a special place in the family as the “vahini” (in Marathi) elder sister-in-law and she is a mother figure for me, but she has been given to contest against me just to create rift in the family, and the BJP is behind all this. It’s a conspiracy of the BJP, which is aimed at finishing off the name of Pawar Saheb (Sharad Pawar); they have nothing to do with the development etc of the constituency,” she added.

Meanwhile, after the announcement as the official candidate from the Grand Alliance for the Baramati seat, Sunetra Pawar said, “Today is a huge day for me. I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar for showing faith one me.”

The Baramati seat in Pune district has become a key battleground in Maharashtra’s Lok Sabha election after candidates from both the Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions of the Nationalist Congress Party were announced, turning it into a ‘Pawar versus Pawar’ contest.

The Baramati Lok Sabha constituency has been a stronghold of Sharad Pawar since the 1960s, Ajit Pawar has been a successful MLA from Baramati since 1991, with a significant victory in the 2019 elections and said to have had a major influence on vidhansabha seats of Indapur, Daund, Purandar, Bhor, and Khadakwasla, which comes under Baramati Lok Sabha.

Supriya Sule will be contesting this seat for the third time, while Sunetra Pawar will be making her political debut in this election.

Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh. Known for its political diversity and significant electoral influence, Maharashtra plays a crucial role in shaping national politics.

In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 18 seats.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

In Maharashtra’s Baramati, a historic showdown awaits as the splintered National Congress Party (NCP) gears up for a unique ‘Pawar vs Pawar’ contest in Supriya Sule, daughter of the party’s patriarch Sharad Pawar, going up against Sunetra Pawar, wife of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Baramati, in Pune district, has evolved over the years from facing devastating famines into a thriving hub of agriculture, industry, and commerce. Decades of Pawar family dominance have shaped the political narrative of this region. The Pawar family’s influence has been integral to this transformation, with Sharad Pawar’s political career tracing back to the 1960s when he first won in this constituency.

Schism In The Family

The emergence of two factions within the NCP, led by Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar, has set the stage for a dramatic electoral showdown. The NCP’s founding faction has nominated Supriya Sule, 54, while Sunetra Pawar, 60 and Ms Sule’s sister-in-law, has entered the fray as the candidate representing the rival faction.

On July 2 last year, Ajit Pawar, accompanied by eight NCP MLAs, aligned with the Eknath Shinde administration, prompting a fracture within the NCP party ranks. The division within the NCP has left voters and party workers with a choice between two Pawars.

“It will be a very tough choice for voters and party workers to choose between two Pawars. It is a contest they would never have imagined before July 2 last year,” said Madan Devkate, a local leader, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Since the 1960s, the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, encompassing Baramati, Indapur, Daund, Purandar, Bhor, and Khadakwasla assembly seats, has served as Sharad Pawar’s stronghold.

Ajit Pawar has represented Baramati as an MLA since 1991, and had registered a resounding victory in 2019 by securing an astonishing 83 per cent of the vote share.

Supriya vs Sunetra

The Baramati Lok Sabha constituency consists of six assembly segments: Baramati town, Indapur, Daund, Purandar, Bhor, and Khadakwasla.

Within these segments, the Congress holds sway over Bhor and Purandar, while Baramati and Indapur have historically favoured the NCP (prior to its division). The BJP holds influence in Daund and Khadakwasala.

In the 2019 elections, Supriya Sule clinched her third consecutive win in the Baramati constituency under the NCP banner.

NCP (SP) – the Sharad Pawar faction, a member of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), along with Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress, will vie for 10 seats in Maharashtra, a state with 48 Lok Sabha seats. Baramati’s polls are scheduled for the third phase on May 7.

For Sule, aged 54, this marks her debut in a Lok Sabha election where the NCP’s support base will be divided between followers of her father and her cousin. While Sule relies on the allegiance of the Pawar Clan’s supporters and her track record as a Lok Sabha representative, Ajit Pawar can garner additional backing from Shiv Sena cadres under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s leadership, as well as the BJP.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidate Kanchan Kul, wife of Daund MLA Rahul Kul, suffered defeat to Ms Sule by a margin of over 1.55 lakh votes.

Ms Sule’s victory margin in Baramati during her debut Lok Sabha contest in 2009 was 3,36,831 against BJP nominee Kanta Nalawade. This margin decreased to 69,719 in 2014 when Rashtriya Samaj Paksha leader Mahadev Jankar contested against her. In 2019, Ms Sule’s vote tally surged to 6,86,714 with a vote share of 52.63%, securing victory by over 1.55 lakh votes.

Sunetra Pawar is the second member of Ajit Pawar’s family to contest Lok Sabha elections. In 2019, Ajit’s son Parth contested from the Maval seat in Pune district but was defeated by Shiv Sena’s Shrirang Barne.

Sunetra Pawar hails from a politically active family in Marathwada. She is the sister of Padamsinh Patil, a former minister who initially belonged to the Congress but later joined Sharad Pawar’s NCP in 1999.

Baramati:

Leaders from Opposition parties are not going to the BJP because they like its ideology, but because of “ICE – Income Tax, CBI and ED”, three-time MP Supriya Sule told NDTV today. Ms Sule, daughter of veteran politician Sharad Pawar, is set to contest again from the Baramati parliamentary constituency that she has represented since 2009. A family stronghold, the seat was earlier represented by Mr Pawar from 1996 to 2009.

This election, however, is different. Between the last election and this one, Sharad Pawar’s NCP has split – one faction is led by the octogenarian and the other by his nephew Ajit Pawar, who has tied up with the BJP and Shiv Sena and joined the Maharashtra government. Ms Sule will now be contesting as a candidate of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), the faction led by the veteran.  

And the battle for Baramati this time, it is learnt, may see a Pawar vs Pawar contest. Ajit Pawar’s wife and environmental activist Sunetra Pawar is likely to take on her sister-in-law Supriya on the key seat.

Asked about this, Ms Sule replied, “I don’t know who is contesting against me because it has not been announced officially. I will tell you once that happens.”

Asked about the poll prospects of the INDIA alliance, especially in the wake of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest and split in Opposition parties, she said, “Democracy is being murdered. The ones who went to BJP did not do so out of love. They went because of ICE – Income tax (department), CBI and ED. The BJP had raised a storm over Ashok Chavan. And now they have taken him in. This is how they are breaking parties. This is not politics, this is murder of democracy.”

Mr Chavan, a former Maharashtra Chief Minister who was formed to resign over allegations of corruption, quit the Congress and joined the BJP last month.

On why she is confident of another victory in Baramati, Ms Sule said, “My work is in front of everyone, so is my parliamentary performance. And there is no allegation of corruption against me.”

Mumbai:

After days of hectic discussions, the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, has made more headway in their seat-share talks.

The NDA partners have finalised the four seats from where Ajit Pawar will field its contestants, sources told NDTV. Mr Pawar is bargaining for more seats in the state, they added.

According to talks so far, Sharad Pawar’s nephew, the leader of the “real” NCP, will field candidates from Baramati, Raigarh, Shirur, and Parbhani, and the BJP will get 31 seats, while the Shiv Sena will contest 13.

Baramati is the Pawars bastion. For decades, the political family has fought from the seat and won. However, this year will see a contest between family members after a shock rebellion by Ajit Pawar split the party and its supporters. 

The sitting MP from Baramati and Ajit Pawar’s cousin, Supriya Sule, will likely face off with her sister-in-law and Mr Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar.

Ajit Pawar has fielded NCP’s Maharashtra president and sitting MP Sunil Tatkare to defend Raigarh against Anant Geete, who will likely be named to contest from this constituency by Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena. Mr Geete had earlier served as a Union Minister in PM Narendra Modi’s first term.

In Shirur, the NCP may field Pradeep Kand or Adhalrao Patil. Both leaders are not a part of the party. While Mr Patil, a former Shiv Sena MP, was appointed as the chief of the MHADA last month by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Mr Kand is the chief of a district cooperative bank in Pune.

The NCP will likely field Rajesh Vitekar against Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav – Parbhani’s sitting MP and a leader from the Uddhav Thackeray camp. Mr Vitekar is the president of the Parbhani Zilla Parishad.

In the seat-sharing talks so far, 31 of the state’s 48 seats will be contested by the BJP, 13 by Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and four by Ajit Pawar’s NCP.

Mumbai:

NCP-SCP leader and MP Supriya Sule on Tuesday lashed out at the PM Modi government over the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the country and highlighted that it is an attempt to escape from the issue of the electoral bonds.

Ms Sule pointed out, “Everything that is going to happen in the next week is going to be connected to Lok Sabha elections. Why didn’t they implement it till now, maybe this was to cover up the electoral bond issue, but that won’t happen.”

Ms Sule questioned the BJP saying “Nation wants to know what happened in electoral bonds, what is the truth and who is behind this.”

Meanwhile, complying with the Supreme Court’s directions, the State Bank of India supplied the data on electoral bonds to the Election Commission of India, the poll body said on Tuesday.

In a post on X, the Election Commission of India said, “In compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions to the SBI, contained in its order dated Feb 15 and March 11, 2024 (in the matter of WPC NO.880 of 2017), data on electoral bonds has been supplied by State Bank of India to Election Commission of India, today, March 12, 2024.”

Earlier a five-judge Constitution bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra ordered that the details be disclosed by the bank on March 12.

In its February 15 judgement, the top court had set the deadline for SBI as March 6, however, the SBI last week moved the top court seeking an extension till June 30 to comply with the court’s directions.

Passing the order on SBI’s application, the bench ordered, “Submissions of SBI in the application indicates that information sought is readily available. Thus, the application by SBI seeking an extension of time until June 30 is dismissed. SBI is directed to disclose the details by the close of business hours on March 12, 2024.

“The Constitution bench also warned the SBI of contempt of court against it for wilfully disobeying its order in the event of non-compliance with the latest directions.

The Supreme Court had struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme which allowed for anonymous funding to political parties, and ordered the SBI to stop issuing Electoral Bonds immediately.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Pune:

Sharad Pawar, who heads the NCP (SP), on Saturday declared MP Supriya Sule as their candidate from Maharashtra’s Baramati Lok Sabha seat, amid speculation that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar could be fielded from there.

The octogenarian leader made the announcement during a rally organised by the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi in Bhor tehsil of Pune district. Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT), an MVA constituent, was also present at the event.

The Election Commission will announce the Lok Sabha poll schedule on March 14 or March 15, said Sharad Pawar. The Election Commission has allotted “man blowing turha (a traditional trumpet)” symbol to his outfit.

“The elections will decide the future of our country. Nobody was so anxious about the future of the country so far, but now a change is needed. Today, PM Modi is not paying any attention towards farmer suicides. Instead, he is focussing all his attention only on Gujarat,” he said.

The NCP founder also accused the government of misusing its power.

“PM Modi is giving us which guarantee? Neither black money was brought back nor any work is being done. Today, farmers are agitating but PM Modi is not paying any attention. Inflation and unemployment have become serious problems in our country.

“If you think the situation should be in control, now is the time. When you go to cast your vote, press the ‘tutari’ (his party’s symbol) button. Today, I declare Supriya Sule as our candidate for the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency,” he said.

During his address, Sharad Pawar turned to Bhor MLA Sangram Thopte of Congress saying he would back the legislator. Sangram’s father Anantrao Thopte, who represented Bhor in the assembly six times before a shock defeat in 1999, was known as one of Pawar’s rivals within the Congress when the latter was with the grand old party.

“Sangram Thopte, whatever work you will do for your tehsil, state or country, I’ll always support you. We had different paths earlier but now that you are with us, I’ll show you real development,” he said. Congress is one of the partners in MVA.

On March 1, Sunetra Pawar had met Congress veteran Anantrao Thopte at his home in Bhor. Sangram Thopte, however, had denied that the meeting had any political significance.

There has been speculation that the Ajit Pawar-led NCP could field Sunetra Pawar from Baramati.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Pune:

NCP (SP) leader and Baramati MP Supriya Sule, and Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar, possible rivals in the coming Lok Sabha elections, on Friday met and hugged each other at a temple in Baramati tehsil.

Speculation is rife that Sunetra Pawar could be fielded by the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency against Sule, who is Ajit Pawar’s cousin and the daughter of party founder Sharad Pawar.

The two women came face to face at Kamleshwar temple in Jalochi village.

“After offering prayers at the temple, I happened to meet Supriya `tai’ (elder sister in Marathi). We both exchanged greetings on the occasion of Maha Shivratri and Women’s Day,” Sunetra Pawar said in a statement.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Pune:

NCP working president Supriya Sule said on Saturday that she has never said anything against her politically estranged cousin Ajit Pawar.

Ms Sule, who represents the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, was in Pune to pray to various Ganesh idols during Ganeshotsav.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) suffered a jolt in July after a group of party leaders led by Ajit Pawar broke away and joined the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra. Ms Sule has remained with her father and party founder Sharad Pawar.

Talking to reporters after paying obeisance to the deity at the Kasba Ganpati pandal, she said, “I never ask anything from God, I only thank them. This year, the state has received less rain, so I prayed to God for Maharashtra to receive good showers.” 

Asked about her recent speech referring to “bhai” (brother) in Parliament, Sule said, “Ajit Dada is my elder brother and I have never said anything against him. Whatever I said in Parliament is not against any person but against the statements made by honourable PM Modiji and Amit Shah.” 

Speaking in Parliament on the women’s reservation bill, Sule had said, “Har ghar mein aise bhai nahi hote hain jo behan ka kalyan dekhte hain (not every house has a brother that looks after the  well-being of the sister).” 

She said Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised her party for the past 10 years but now he doesn’t say that NCP is a “Naturally Corrupt Party”.

“The BJP always conducted revenge politics. If allegations made against us are true, let there be an inquiry (against us). Also, if the allegations turn out to be false, BJP should apologise to us,” he said.

To a question about BJP Lok Sabha member Ramesh Bidhuri’s derogatory remarks in the Lower House against BSP MP Danish Ali, Sule said the comments were very unfortunate. The NCP and Trinamool Congress have already written to the Lok Sabha Speaker about the incident, she said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)