Locked in a bitter electoral battle with a close family member in the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidate and sitting MP Supriya Sule on Thursday exuded confidence about winning this time too due to her past work and development she has brought to the western Maharashtra constituency.
Sule, the daughter of NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, noted voters of Baramati in Pune district will choose her based on electoral merit, parliamentary performance and development push in the pocket borough of the Pawars, where polling will be held on May 7 in the third phase of elections.
The three-time Lok Sabha MP from the seat is pitted against her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, the NCP candidate and wife of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, making it perhaps the most watched poll battle in Maharashtra.
Sule, while campaigning in the Purandar assembly segment of the constituency, visited villages, temples, reached out to voters, clicked selfies with them and participated in a 'padyatra' (foot march) in Jejuri, a temple town.
On campaign trail, the NCP (SP) candidate, who has won the best parliamentarian award, made it a point to tell voters about the new symbol allotted by the Election Commission (EC) to the party, "a man blowing turha" (a traditional trumpet), following a split in July 2023.
During her padyatra, women welcomed Sule and performed 'aukshan', a ritual of waving lit lamps before a person, on a road leading to the premises of the famous Khandoba temple located in Jejuri.
On sidelines of the hectic campaigning, Sule spoke to PTI on various issues.
Asked about confusion among voters due to the 2023 split in the NCP, which saw Ajit Pawar breaking ranks with his uncle Sharad Pawar and joining the Shiv Sena-led government, Sule emphasised that for her, it's an ideological battle.
She stated that voting is an individual's right and electors will definitely consider her merit, parliamentary performance and development work in Baramati before making a decision.
When pointed out that all these years her cousin Ajit Pawar firmly stood on her side during elections, but is now in the rival camp, and if she feels his absence this time, Sule, with a smile, replied, "Life moves on. Time is the biggest healer. Somebody makes a decision, and we have to accept it, and life has to go on." Regarding the mood among voters in the backdrop of the split in the family, Sule said she is banking on 18 years of connection with people of Baramati, her home turf, and bond she shares with them.
"I come here in Jejuri six times a year and people here are just like my extended family," said the parliamentarian.
Asked about Ajit Pawar's criticism of family members that when he contested elections, none of his cousins came and campaigned for him, but now they are canvassing for her, Sule said she does not to comment on family matters.
"The people of Baramati know the exact truth about who campaigned for whom since 1967 till date," said Sule.
Ajit Pawar, the MLA from the Baramati assembly seat, in one of his recent public meetings lashed out at his cousins, saying they never campaigned for him when he contested elections.
Talking about the BJP, Sule alleged the saffron party's only agenda is to politically destroy her father, Sharad Pawar, an influential opposition leader.
"These are not my words, these are the words of state BJP leader Chandrakant Patil, who had come to Baramati and said they want to finish Sharad Pawar," noted Sule.
Asked about parts of Baramati facing water scarcity, Sule highlighted her consistent efforts in raising the issue, reaching out to stakeholders and decision-makers in the state government.
