Maharashtra: Ajit Pawar says made mistake by fielding wife against sister Supriya Sule in LS polls, ’One shouldn’t…’

On Tuesday, Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and a leader of the NCP, admitted that he made a significant error by choosing to field his wife, Sunetra Pawar, against his cousin Supriya Sule in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramati.

In an interview with the Marathi news channel Jai Maharashtra, Pawar, who is currently conducting a statewide ‘Jan Samman Yatra,’ stated that politics should not intrude into family matters. He expressed regret over the decision made by the party’s parliamentary board, acknowledging it as a mistake while he is engaged in a mass outreach campaign ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.

“I care deeply for all my sisters, and politics should not interfere with family matters. I regret the decision to field Sunetra against my sister; it was a mistake. The decision was made by the NCP’s parliamentary board, but I now believe it was the wrong choice,” Pawar said.

In the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, the NCP, which is part of the ruling Mahayuti Alliance, nominated Sunetra Pawar to contest against Supriya Sule, the daughter of the NCP(SP) president, for the Baramati seat. Supriya Sule won the seat by a margin of 150,000 votes, securing her fourth consecutive victory in Baramati with a vote share of 51.85%. Despite the loss, Sunetra Pawar was subsequently elected to the Rajya Sabha.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) surprised the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra by securing 30 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats. The NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar won only one seat, Raigad, while the Sharad Pawar faction secured eight seats.

When asked whether he would visit his cousin on Raksha Bandhan next week, Ajit Pawar responded that he is currently traveling. However, if he and his sisters happen to be in the same location on that day, he will certainly make an effort to meet them.

The Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister also mentioned that he has chosen to focus solely on discussing development and welfare initiatives for farmers, women, and youth, and has decided not to address any criticisms directed at him.

He added that Sharad Pawar, as a senior leader and the head of their family, is someone he would refrain from responding to any criticism from.