Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule responded on Sunday to the speculation surrounding the potential candidacy of Sunetra Pawar, the wife of her cousin and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, against her for the Baramati seat, asserting that it would not constitute a "family feud."
In an interview with the ANI news agency, Sule emphasized the essence of democracy, stating, "How can this be termed as a family confrontation? In a democracy, anyone is entitled to contest elections. As I mentioned yesterday, if they nominate a formidable candidate like myself, I am willing to engage in discussions with that candidate. I am prepared to deliberate on any subject matter, at any given time or venue, as they determine."
The conjecture regarding the potential candidacy of Sunetra Pawar in the Baramati Lok Sabha polls gained traction after a vehicle adorned with posters featuring the couple was spotted in the constituency. Ajit Pawar had also hinted at fielding a contender against Supriya Sule.
Ajit Pawar's faction recently garnered recognition after the Election Commission affirmed that the party under his leadership constitutes the "authentic Nationalist Congress Party."
The Baramati seat has traditionally been a stronghold of the Pawar family and Supriya Sule for more than five decades. Sule has consecutively represented the constituency in three Lok Sabha terms since 2009.
Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule's father, clinched victory in the Lok Sabha polls from Baramati in 1984, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2004. He also emerged victorious in the Maharashtra Assembly elections from the same constituency on multiple occasions.
When questioned about the potential electoral contest with Sunetra Pawar, Supriya Sule remarked, "Why is this being linked to family? Why drag my family into politics? I urge you not to involve my family in this matter. My family is extensive and has no association with politics. It will be a clash based on ideological differences. They have not articulated any ideological standpoint. Why involve my sister-in-law in this? What relevance does she have to this scenario?"
Sunetra Pawar is renowned for her philanthropic endeavors in Baramati and oversees an NGO called the Environmental Forum of India. She is the sibling of Padamsinh Patil, a former minister and erstwhile confidant of Sharad Pawar.
Furthermore, she serves as a trustee of the esteemed educational institution Vidya Pratishthan. Sunetra Pawar has also been an integral part of the think tank of the World Entrepreneurship Forum in France since 2011.
