Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar
Credit: PTI Photo
Pune: Supriya Sule, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Baramati constituency in Pune district of Maharashtra, on Tuesday met Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's mother by visiting the latter's house after casting her vote.
Sule, who is seeking a fourth term in the Lower House of Parliament from Pawar family's home turf Baramati, is pitted against her cousin Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar. Polling for the Baramati seat is undergoing on Tuesday.
This is for the first time that two members of the influential Pawar family are fighting an election against each other. This is Sunetra Pawar's first Lok Sabha election.
Deputy Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis dubbed Sule's meeting with Ajit Pawar's mother an "emotional tactic".
Sule, after exercising her franchise, reached Ajit Pawar's house at Katewadi in Baramati and met his mother Ashatai Pawar.
Speaking to reporters after their meeting, Sule said she had come to meet and seek her aunt Ashakaki's blessings.
"It is my kaki's house and I came here to meet her and seek her blessings," the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader said.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Mumbai, deputy CM Fadnavis said Sule's visit to Ajit Pawar's house is an 'emotional tactic'.
"After all they are political opponents and not enemies. She (Sule) is his (Ajit Pawar's) sister. Let's see how this emotional tactic plays out," he said in response to a question.