AAP may field woman against Sule

PUNE: The Aam Aadmi Party-Pune is planning to field a woman candidate from Baramati to take on the Nationalist Congress Party's likely contestant Supriya Sule in the general elections.
Sule won the Baramati Lok Sabha seat in 2009 by a margin of 3,36,831 votes, beating the BJP's Kanta Jaysing Nalawade. Nalawade could secure only 1,50,996 votes against Sule's 4,87,827.
"We are planning to field a woman contestant from Baramati to give Sule a tough competition and have already received some applications.People are angry with the NCP and its coalition government in the state and want an alternative, which we can provide," said Maruti Bhapkar, AAP-Pune district convener.
"The national and state executive committees of the party are working on AAP Pune's recommendation to field a woman candidate against Sule. A final decision is expected in three-to-four days," he added.
The party has planned it's first-ever rally in Baramati on February 13 which will be addressed by various state APP leaders, including Anjali Damania and Vijay Pandhare.
Meanwhile, the NCP seems unmoved by the AAP's campaign in Baramati. "We welcome the decision of the AAP to field a candidate from Baramati. In a democratic country, every party is free to contest from anywhere. However, no party has the caliber to defeat the NCP in Baramati," vice-president of the NCP state unit Vasant Vani told TOI.
Consecutive wins by the NCP has made Baramati a stronghold of the party. NCP chief Sharad Pawar won the Baramati LS seat in 1996, 1999 and 2004.
Supriya Sule continued party's dominance after winning the 2009 LS polls from Baramati. As many as 17 contestants fought the 2009 Lok Sabha polls from Baramati which witnessed a mere 46.07% turnout.
Baramati elections 2009:
Contested- 17 (10 male, 7 female)
Electors- 15,90,943
Voters- 7,32,568
Voters' turnout- 46.07%
Winner- Supriya Sule (NCP, 4,87,827 votes)
Runner up- Kanta Jaysingh Nalawade (BJP, 1,50,996 votes)
*Source: Election Commission
Pune: The Aam Aadmi Party-Pune is planning to take on the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) by fielding a woman candidate against NCP's likely contestant from Baramati-Supriya Sule in the general elections.
Sule won the Baramati Lok Sabha seat in 2009 by a margin of 3,36,831 votes beating her closest rival BJP's Kanta Jaysingh Nalawade. Nalawade could secure only 1,50, 996 votes against Sule's 4,87, 827 votes.
"We are planning to field a woman contestant from Baramati in order to give Sule a tough competition. We have already received some applications in this regard. People have wrath against the NCP and its coalition government in the state. They want an alternative which we can provide, says Maruti Bhapkar, AAP-Pune district convener." The national and state executive committees of the party are working on AAP Pune's recommendation to field a woman candidate against Sule and a final decision is expected in three four days," he added.
Nevertheless, the party has planned its first ever rally in Baramati on February 13 which will be addressed by state APP leaders including Anjali Damania and Vijay Pandhare.
Meanwhile, the NCP seems less bothered on AAP's campaign in Baramati. Speaking to TOI, vice-president of the NCP state unit Vasant Vani says, "We welcome the decision of AAP to field candidate from Baramati. In a democratic country, every party is free to contest from anywhere. However, no party has the caliber to defeat NCP in Baramati."
Consecutive wins by the NCP has made Baramati a strong hold of the party. NCP chief Sharad Pawar has won the Baramati LS seat in 1996, 1999 and 2004 and later on Supriya Sule continued party's dominance after winning the 2009 LS polls from Baramati. 17 contestants fought the 2009 Lok Sabha polls from Baramati which witnessed merely 46.07% turnout.
BOX 1: Baramati elections 2009*:
Contested- 17 (10 male, 7 female)
Electors- 15, 90, 943
Voters- 7, 32, 568
Voters' turnout- 46.07%
Winner- Supriya Sule (NCP, 4, 87, 827 votes)
Runner up- Kanta Jaysingh Nalawade (BJP, 1, 50, 996 votes)
*Source: Election Commission