Nationalist Congress Party (NCP (SP)) leader and candidate from Baramati parliamentary constituency Supriya Sule
Credit: PTI Photo
Wherever Tai goes in Baramati, people throng her. They ask for selfies, which she obliges. Being daughter of Sharad Pawar, the responsibilities of Supriya Sule (54) are manifold. In the Pawar-vs-Pawar battle in Baramati, Supriya Sule of NCP (SP) is facing Sunetra Pawar, wife of her cousin and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is now the NCP president. She came to the Lok Sabha politics from Rajya Sabha. For the last three terms, she had won the family bastion of Baramati in Pune district.
“People are seeing Baramati as a direct fight between Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar. This is a wrong perception. It is a design of the BJP to finish off Sharad Pawar politically,” Supriya Sule tells DH’s Mrityunjay Bose during her campaign trail in Purandar in Baramati. Following are the excerpts of the interview:
Over the years, people have voted for Pawars in the elections. But this time isn't it Pawar vs Pawar? Literally every family in Baramati is divided over the issue.
Yes, that’s true, but that’s unfortunate. A lot of things have happened. I am not making any personal attacks. That is not my style of politics. After all, we have been working as a team. Me and Dada have been working for the last 17-18 years for Baramati together as a team. But now what has happened has happened.
The people of Baramati never thought that it would come to this stage in Baramati.
No one has thought this. It is painful. However, there's no point speaking. People are seeing Baramati as a direct fight between Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar. This is a wrong perception. It is a design of the BJP to finish off Sharad Pawar politically. They have to find someone from the family and they fielded Vahini (Sunetra Pawar) against me, she is my mauli (mother). This is a Lok Sabha election, it is about policy and development. This is not a family affair and that's what they are trying to make it out to be. I am saying it again, it is Saheb (Sharad Pawar) who has been consistently fighting the BJP. They just want to finish him off politically. And, I am not telling this; a senior BJP leader only said about it. In the process, he (Ajit Pawar) targeted my father and even my mother (Pratibha Pawar, which I had never expected.
Haven't you been highlighting the issue of democracy vs dictatorship?
Yes, it is an issue in this General Election. People are being taken to washing machines and inducted into the BJP. The ICE is at work, which I have been telling…ICE stands for Income-Tax, Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate. They just want to be in power by all means. Look at the issue of electoral bonds, look at price rise and inflation, see the condition of the poor. If you look at Maharashtra, the crime rate has gone up.
The Pawars are synonymous with Baramati. The credit of Baramati’s transformation goes to whom? The family was together in the Baramati Model story, what went wrong?
We all know the contributions of Pawar Saheb. We have worked together as a team. No one is denying the contribution of Ajit Dada for Baramati. It is painful that the BJP has to target our family and find a Pawar to contest against me in Baramati. I am fighting a Lok Sabha election, I am not fighting any individual. We have to make sure that we are heard and we must hear others as well. Our fight is totally ideological not personal.
With what idea you are going to people?
It is clear we have to ensure that democracy stays. We are going with the idea of ‘seva’, ‘samman’ and ‘swabhiman’ before the people. In fact, people have made up their mind. We will not allow the Constitution to be changed. For raising the issue of onions, we were suspended from the Lok Sabha. I have always maintained decorum. I have never gone to the Well to protest. I will continue to raise issues of people even if I am hanged.
Is there any chance that all of you will come together again?
You have to ask him. He (Ajit Pawar) left us, not us. And he is targeting us. I have decided not to make this fight personal. I enjoy good relations with all, Vahini (Sunetra Pawar), and their sons (Parth and Jay).
In one of his public meetings, Ajit Pawar said had he been a 'son' he would not have been treated like this.
Tell me one instance, where he has not been treated like a son. He became an MP, MLA, minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Leader of the Opposition. Where is the question of discrimination?