Baramati (Maharashtra) [India], November 2 : Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) leader Nilesh Lanke on Saturday said that Diwali Padwa has a lot of importance, and added that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will win the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
"Diwali Padwa has a lot of importance. Like every year people go to meet Lord Panduranga. I came here to meet Panduranga here today. MVA will win all seats in Ahmednagar and the elections," Lanke told reporters.
Amid rising political tensions ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Pawar family divided its Padwa festivities.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar greeted people at his residence on the occasion of Diwali Padwa, in Baramati.
During the Diwali Padwa event, Ajit Pawar met local officials and party workers. He was accompanied by his wife Sunetra Pawar.
In a separate event in Baramati, Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar and NCP (SCP) MP Supriya Sule greeted people at his residence on the occasion of Diwali Padwa.
Supriya Sule said that in Baramati there is Padwa in every home.
"For the last 57 years since Sharad Pawar got elected in 1967 for the first time, this is an open house tradition which takes place...I have no idea, there are many Padwa (Diwali Padwa) happening here...In Baramati, there is Padwa in every home," Supriya Sule said.
Diwali Padwa, also known as Bali Puja or Bali Pratipada, is celebrated on the first day of Kartik Pratipada, which follows Diwali Puja.
Notably, the Baramati constituency in Maharashtra will again witness a family battle as NCP leader Ajit Pawar will face his nephew Yugendra Pawar. He is the son of Ajit Pawar's younger brother Shrinivas Pawar.
Baramati also witnessed a high-profile battle in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when Sunetra Pawar contested against Supriya Sule. The latter won the contest by 1.5 lakh votes.
Both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) -- comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress -- have intensified their preparations for the upcoming elections to 288 Assembly seats in the State. The BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
Maharashtra elections will be held in a single phase on November 20 with counting of votes held on November 23.
In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, the Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.