Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has expressed regret in his decision to field his wife Sunetra for his faction of Nationalist Congress Party against his cousin Supriya Sule in the Baramati Lok Sabha seat for this year's election.
Pawar further told the media, 'One should not allow politics to enter home'.
The Nationalist Congress Party founded by Sharad Pawar split last year when Ajit Pawar and several MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government in Maharashtra.
As the party broke into two factions, Ajit Pawar later also claimed that his group was the real and Election Commission also backed that.
Supriya Sule remained as part of NCP(Sharad Pawar) and ran for Lok Sabha polls from her father's bastion Baramati.
Ajit Pawar fielded Sunetra Pawar from Baramati seat against Sule. However, Sule won the election.
Sunetra Pawar was later elected to the Rajya Sabha.
Speaking of his relationship with his cousin Sule, Ajit Pawar said, "I love all my sisters. One shouldn't allow politics to enter homes. I made a mistake in fielding Sunetra against my sister. This shouldn't have happened. But the parliamentary board (of NCP) made a decision. Now I feel it was wrong."
When reporters asked if he will visit his cousin on Raksha Bandhan next week, the NCP leader said he is currently on a tour and if he and his sisters are at one place that day, he would surely meet them.
Ajit Pawar also said Sharad Pawar is a senior leader and head of their family and he would not respond to any criticism made by the latter.
On the senior Pawar being targeted by the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena, the NCP leader said the Mahayuti allies should also understand what they speak.
"I voice my opinion when we sit together," he added.
He is currently on a statewide 'Jan Samman Yatra' as part of his mass outreach programme ahead of the state assembly polls.The deputy CM has been promoting the government's 'Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana', aimed at providing financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to women.
