Union minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Saturday said he saw "fear" in Baramati, the home turf of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, and said people of the Lok Sabha constituency think BJP should win from there in 2024 polls.
The Baramati Lok Sabha seat in Pune district is currently represented by Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar. Sule's cousin and former deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is MLA from the Baramati Assembly constituency.
"People in Baramati think BJP's candidate should become MP in 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. I saw 'fear' there and its certificate will be seen in 2024 (in terms of people electing BJP candidate as MP)," Patel told reporters on the last day of his two-day tour of Baramati.
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During his tour, Patel held meetings with BJP workers intending to strengthen the party base ahead of the next General elections. "I am confident that BJP will win the 2024 polls by a majority. BJP's candidate will represent the Baramati constituency," he added.
The Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti also claimed that prices of petrol and diesel are the cheapest in India considering the global scenario. "If we see global conditions, prices of petrol and diesel are the cheapest in India. It's due to the quality of our leadership in the country," the Union minister said.
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Explaining the global economic conditions and their impact on India, Patel said, "if there is snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi will also witness extreme shiver. I also believe that currently, India is in the top position in the global economy".
He said when the 'Jal Jeevan' mission started in Maharashtra, 33 per cent of the water supply was through pipelines. Today, the supply has increased up to 71 per cent. The Central government has planned to supply water to every household in Maharashtra, but the previous state government failed to gear up the pace for this mission," he said.
Patel said he had received a complaint about river pollution in Baramati. "We need to solve this serious issue if it is hampering the quality of drinking water," he added. The BJP has launched a campaign to boost the party’s base in more than 140 Lok Sabha constituencies across the country, including Baramati and 15 other seats in Maharashtra.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited the Baramati constituency in September as part of the BJP's 'Pravas' campaign. A senior BJP leader had said the BJP and 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena' led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will win more than 45 of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including Baramati, in the 2024 elections.
In the 2019 LS elections, the BJP won 23 seats and Shiv Sena 18 in the state. The NCP had won four constituencies while one seat each was won by Congress, AIMIM, and an Independent.
(With PTI Inputs)
