Sitharaman says touring Baramati to strengthen BJP's base, not to target any family

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday she was touring Baramati to strengthen her party BJP's base in the Lok Sabha constituency and was not interested in targeting any family, a reference to the Sharad Pawar clan which holds sway over the town in Pune district.

Addressing a press conference near Pune city on the sidelines of a programme, Sitharaman, who has started a three-day tour of Baramati, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was concentrating on bolstering its organization in every region of the country.

Asked about NCP president Sharad Pawar's sarcastic comments that the minister will come to Baramati, express her thoughts and people will understand those thoughts and also her language easily, Sitharaman said people are very smart.

The BJP politician said the way people understand the language of leaders from West Bengal to Telangana, they will understand her Hindi too.

''Have patience, the entire Baramati is listening (to me) and if they have any doubts... they are standing and asking and despite my 'broken Hindi' I am answering them and people are clapping,'' she added.

Asked if the BJP was putting extra focus on the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, currently represented by Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule, she said her party was concentrating on every region of the country.

''I have come to Baramati to strengthen the party's base...I have not come for any family,'' said Sitharaman.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)