Mumbai: Deputy chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar had fielded his wife Sunetra Pawar (60) for the Lok Sabha elections from his home turf Baramati. She was thrashed by sitting M.P. Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar who heads a rival faction.
Sule had a convincing lead of over 1.58 lakh votes. Ajit Pawar's ego was deeply hurt and hence he has decided to send his wife to the Rajya Sabha. Sunetra filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha byelection slated for June 25.
Theseat fell vacant after Praful Patel of NCP (Ajit Pawar) resigned in February. Patel resigned as Rajya Sabha member and preferred to get elected again during the biennial elections in February to obviate any disqualification proceedings by the NCP (SP).
A meeting of the parliamentary board of NCP (Ajit Pawar) was held late on Wednesday night at which the candidature of Sunetra Pawar was approved unanimously.
According to Sunil Tatkare, state president of NCP (Ajit Pawar), the choice of Sunetra Pawar was informed to CM Eknath Shinde and DCM Devendra Fadnavis on phone. Tatkare said Sunetra Pawar's name was selected "by considering what is best for the party's future." A usually low-profile woman, Sunetra Pawar is finding herself under the arc lights of bitter politics.
During the filing of the nomination papers, Sunetra was accompanied by Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal and other leaders. Names of Parth Pawar, former MLA Baba Siddiqui, Anand Paranjpe former MP from Kalyan Dombivali and Chhagan Bhujbal were earlier considered for the RS seat, but the defeat of Sunetra Pawar changed all that.
Chhagan Bhujbal said "I was keen to contest the RS election. But I am not disappointed with the candidature of Sunetra Pawar." Rohit Pawar said that Ajit Pawar might have not got any proper candidate from his party therefore be proposed the name of his wife. He said Ajit Pawar's MLAs will not remain together in future.
