Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar has admitted that fielding his wife, Sunetra, against his cousin Supriya Sule for the Baramati seat was a mistake.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Ajit Pawar’s faction nominated Sunetra to challenge the sitting MP, Supriya Sule. However, Sunetra Pawar was defeated by a margin of 1.5 lakh votes. Ajit Pawar acknowledged that nominating Sunetra Pawar was a mistake. He made this admission while speaking to the Marathi news channel, Jai Maharashtra.
When asked who his favorite sister in Baramati is, Ajit Pawar responded by saying that all his sisters in Baramati are dear to him. He added that while politics is one thing, relationships are another. Ajit Pawar admitted that Sunetra Pawar should not have been nominated to contest against Supriya Sule in Baramati, but what’s done is done.
Before the Lok Sabha elections, Ajit publicly advised his uncle and then party chief, Sharad to retire from politics. Just a few days later, Ajit, along with his supporting MLAs, joined Eknath Shinde’s Maha Yuti government as Deputy Chief Minister. He even criticised Sharad Pawar in public speech. This led to a split in the Nationalist Congress Party, with a few loyalists staying with Sharad Pawar while 41 MLAs joined Ajit Pawar.
In Lok Sabha elections, Sharad Pawar not only ensured Supriya Sule’s victory but also secured eight other seats, re-establishing his influence in Maharashtra.
