Pune: Recently, Devendra Fadnavis, during his visit to Baramati, met with the long-standing loyalist of Sharad Pawar, Pravin Mane. Following this meeting, Pravin Mane made a significant decision to switch his allegiance, expressing support for Mahayuti’s candidate from Baramati, Sunetra Pawar, in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. However, these political manoeuvres, characterised by leaders conveniently switching parties and loyalties, have sparked disapproval among the residents of Indapur.
The people are vocalising their discontent against the prevalent trend of leaders switching parties with ease. This wave of dissatisfaction has also led to criticism directed at the Mahayuti alliance for employing strong-arm tactics in Baramati to secure victory in the upcoming election. Earlier, Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule accused their opponents of resorting to coercion and threats to sway the election results.
Critics are raising questions about the necessity for the Mahayuti alliance to recruit leaders from outside parties and resort to intimidation tactics, despite having the support of prominent figures such as Dattatraya Bharne, Harshawardhan Patil, MLA from Mohol Yashwant Mane, members of Zilla Parishad, and Panchayat Samiti, along with numerous grassroots activists.
Pravin Mane, previously recognised as a loyalist of Supriya Sule, had spearheaded campaigns for her by organising various meetings of leaders in Indapur. However, in a surprising turn of events, Mane now finds himself campaigning for Sule’s opponent, Sunetra Pawar, in the same taluka where he previously advocated for Supriya Sule. Such shifts in allegiance are not well-received by the local populace, adding to the growing dissatisfaction.
Jayant Patil, the state president of the NCP-SP party, denounced these shifts in loyalty, alleging that opposition leaders are exerting undue pressure on Mane and others. Similarly, Rohit Pawar criticised Mahayuti’s leadership, questioning whether Mane’s decision was voluntary or coerced.
Overall, there is a palpable sense of discontent among the people of Indapur towards this brand of politics prevalent in the taluka. Despite boasting a roster of influential leaders and claiming substantial development projects worth crores, the Mahayuti alliance’s reliance on importing leaders from other parties has prompted a critical reevaluation of their strategies.