Ajit Pawar's Election Candidature Mistake Sparks Family Debate

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar admitted he made a significant error by fielding his wife, Sunetra Pawar, against his sister, Supriya Sule, in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. 'I made a mistake in fielding Sunetra against my sister. This shouldn't have happened. But the parliamentary board (of NCP) made a decision. Now I feel it was wrong,' Pawar said on Tuesday.

NCP MP Praful Patel commented that the matter is deeply personal and related to Pawar's family. 'It is his personal matter, his family's matter. He is a senior leader in the state and the president of our party, the NCP. If he has said something, then I do not think it is appropriate for me to say anything more about it,' Patel told reporters on Wednesday.

Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar also echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to separate familial relations from political affairs. 'We should not mix family with politics. As a brother, it is his (Ajit Pawar's) duty to go and celebrate Rakshabandhan. Also, as a political leader, he would be at the forefront for Mahayuti to win elections,' Kesarkar stated.

Following the announcement, Supriya Sule successfully retained her Baramati Lok Sabha seat, defeating Sunetra Pawar with a substantial margin. Sule polled 7,32,312 votes, while Sunetra garnered 5,73,979 votes. Voting took place in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 7.

(With inputs from agencies.)