Mumbai:

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar admitted that it was a mistake to field his wife Sunetra Pawar against his cousin Supriya Sule in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Ms Sule, daughter of NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar, had defeated Sunetra Pawar, representing the Ajit Pawar NCP faction, in the Baramati Lok Sabha seat by a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes.

“It was my mistake to field her against Supriya Sule, I have told you again and again. It is over now. On November 20 there is an election in Maharashtra and the voters will decide in whose hands Maharashtra should be given for five years. We are paying more attention to that,” Mr Pawar told NDTV. 

Mr Pawar said that his primary focus remains on campaigning in the constituencies allotted to the NCP under the Mahayuti (Grand Alliance). The 65-year-old said that despite occasional calls from alliance partners like the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction to join their campaigns, he is prioritising NCP seats. “Right now, with only a few days left, I am concentrating on our constituencies and holding public rallies,” he said.

Nepotism In Politics

Mr Pawar said that political families have played a role in all major parties, from Congress to the BJP, Shiv Sena, and even the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). He argued that ultimately, it is the voters who decide whether a candidate from a political family deserves their support. 

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“The BJP speaks against nepotism, but in this election, both the Mahavikas Aghadi and the Mahayuti alliances have numerous candidates from political families. This trend has been part of Indian politics for decades. After we gained independence in 1947, the families who initially entered politics continued to hold influence. The Congress party dominated government for many years, bringing successive generations into its ranks,” Mr Pawar said. 

“Now, across all parties – whether Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), BJP, or even the MNS – family members of political leaders are running for office.  However, it’s ultimately the voters who decide. Regardless of family ties, voters support candidates they believe will work for the people,” he added. 

Electoral Confidence

Mr Pawar also expressed strong confidence in his own candidacy, claiming that he would “100 per cent” secure his seat in the upcoming assembly elections. Referring to the recent Lok Sabha elections, where a “sympathy factor” for Sharad Pawar influenced outcomes in Baramati, he stated, “This time, I am fully confident of winning my seat. I am certain of a 100 per cent victory.”

The Maharashtra assembly elections will decide the fate of 288 seats, with the Mahayuti coalition, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, facing off against the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP factions. The 2019 assembly polls saw the BJP emerge as the largest party with 105 seats, while the Shiv Sena won 56 and the Congress 44.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, the MVA gained ground, winning 30 out of 48 seats, while the Mahayuti coalition managed to secure 17.