Mumbai, Jul 9 (IANS): The Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday, in a bid to checkmate NCP SP, has decided to hold a public meeting at Baramati on July 14 as a part of its preparations for the upcoming state assembly election slated for September-October.

This is the first public meeting after NCP Chief Ajit Pawar’s wife and the party nominee Sunetra Pawar lost the Lok Sabha election from Baramati to NCP SP candidate Supriya Sule. Baramati has been the home turf for NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar and also for his estranged nephew Ajit Pawar.

Although Sunetra Pawar was later elected to the Rajya Sabha, Ajit Pawar faction is not in the mood to take any chance in the assembly election as NCP SP is expected to field Sharad Pawar’s grand nephew Yugendra Pawar from Baramati against Ajit Pawar in the assembly election.

State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare said that the party proposes to flag off in the Baramati rally a slew of schemes announced in the budget including Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana, three free gas cylinders, free electricity to agricultural pumps up to 7.5 horsepower, stipend to youth.

“Our efforts will be to convey to the public through the NCP workers the announcements made by the government,” he added.

Tatkare said similar rallies will be held all over Maharashtra.

“We will fight the upcoming assembly election as a grand alliance. NCP workers will work keeping this in mind,” said Tatkare while ruling out the possibility of the party going solo in the assembly election.