The third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 in Maharashtra will see a total of 258 candidates contesting in 11 constituencies. The spotlight will be on Baramati, where two members of the influential Sharad Pawar family are pitted against each other. Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar’s daughter, is representing the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), while Sunetra, his son’s wife, is contesting on behalf of the NCP. The constituency also boasts the presence of royal lineage candidates, with Shahu Chhatrapati (Congress) vying for the Kolhapur seat and Udayanraje Bhosale (BJP) seeking votes in Satara. Union minister Narayan Rane is contesting from Sindhudurg-Ratnagiri on a BJP ticket, while former Congress member Vishal Patil is running as an independent candidate. Meanwhile, the NCP has raised concerns over the similarity in symbols between their candidate Supriya Sule and an independent candidate in Baramati, fearing voter confusion. The NCP’s symbol includes a traditional trumpet known as a ‘turha,’ while the independent candidate has been allotted a similar instrument called a ‘tutari.’ The third phase of elections will take place on May 7, and the Pawar family’s stronghold of Baramati will be keenly watched.