The recent alliance between Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the BJP has sparked a significant shift in the political landscape of Baramati, Maharashtra. Within a span of 72 hours, Thackeray’s unconditional support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling MahaYuti government has propelled him from the political periphery to the forefront of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.The symbolism is striking as Thackeray’s party symbol, the ‘Railway Engine’, now prominently features on the campaign materials of Sunetra Ajit Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate from Baramati. This development has injected new vigor into the electoral contest in Baramati, which is already poised to be a battleground between NCP President Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra, and his cousin sister, Supriya Sule, the Working President of the Nationalist Congress Party.The narrative of the contest between ‘bhabhi’ (Sunetra) and ‘nanad’ (Supriya) has captured widespread attention, with the involvement of prominent political figures from both sides. With Thackeray’s endorsement, Sunetra’s position appears fortified, as reflected in his image alongside other political heavyweights on campaign materials.The dynamics of the electoral battle in Baramati are further complicated by the historical dominance of the Pawar family in the region. Despite the formidable challenge posed by Sunetra, Supriya Sule’s stronghold in Baramati cannot be underestimated, given the family’s long-standing political legacy.Moreover, the electoral contest in Baramati is emblematic of larger political shifts within Maharashtra, with splintered factions like Shiv Sena and NCP vying for supremacy. The upcoming elections are poised to serve as a referendum on these fragmented political entities, now portrayed as the ‘original parties’ in the state.In this context, Sharad Pawar’s playful remark about the battle between a ‘local Pawar’ (Supriya) and an ‘outsider Pawar’ (Sunetra) adds another layer of intrigue to the electoral narrative, hinting at underlying political dynamics and alliances.As the electoral drama unfolds in Baramati, it underscores the fluidity of alliances and the complex interplay of regional politics in Maharashtra, with Thackeray’s BJP alliance marking a significant chapter in this evolving saga.