Made a mistake by fielding my wife against my sister in Lok Sabha polls, says Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said fielding his wife Sunetra Pawar against cousin Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha polls was a mistake.

The Baramati seat where the family members went against each other was one of the most talked about fights during the elections. The election was won by Sule, working president of NCP (SP) and daughter of veteran politician and party supremo Sharad Pawar.

Sunetra Pawar was later nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

The statement of Ajit Pawar came during the NCP's Jan Samman Yatra which he is undertaking to showcase the work of the party and the MahaYuti (NDA) government.

Ajit Pawar is travelling in a pink bus and wherever it stops, womenfolk are trying rakhis on the wrist of the 65-year-old politician, known as one of the most efficient administrators.

“I love all my sisters. One should not allow politics to come inside homes. I made a mistake in fielding (Sunetra Pawar) against my sister (Supriya Sule). This should not have happened. But the parliamentary board made a decision. Now, I feel it was wrong," Pawar told a Marathi news channel.

Asked whether he will visit his sister during Raksha bandhan next week, Ajit Pawar said he is on tour currently and managing official duties and if he and his sister are at one place that day he would surely meet her.

When Supriya Sule was asked about Ajit Pawar’s statement, she said, “I have not seen the statement.”

Ajit Pawar also made it clear that since Sharad Pawar is the head of the family and a senior leader, he will not respond to any criticism from him.

On the NDA leaders targeting Sharad Pawar, he said, “The MahaYuti allies should understand what they speak. I voice my opinion when we sit together,” he said.