Duty to my husband to contest Baramati LS seat: Sunetra Pawar

The Deputy Chief Minister has taken a decision to join the NDA and it has the support of around 80 percent of the party, she said, adding that the support of voters was with her husband. She said this was because they knew it will help the nation’s future and progress.

The NCP candidate said she had no first hand experience in contesting elections but was active during polls that her family members contested in the past including her husband. “I too have a background in politics as my brother and others have been in politics since a long time. It is true that few of my family members are campaigning for the rival candidate but several family members of my husband as well as relatives from my parents’ family have started campaigning for me,” she said.

Regarding the possibility of her sons Parth and Jay carving out political careers, considering what the family had gone through in the past, Sunetra said, “Presently, both are involved in handling election work from office as the entire family cannot be on the field. Someone has to handle the situation at the back end. The children are independent to make their own decisions and as parents we will stand by them on whatever decision they take.”

She expressed displeasure over the projection of the Baramati seat election as a tussle within the family. “Family is in its place and will continue to be the way it is. The election should be on a political stand, which is different between my party and that of the competitor,” Pawar said. Agreeing that her candidature against Sule may place many Baramati voters in a dilemma, she said she has advised voters to think less about bhavna (emotions) and more about bhavishya (future).

Regarding Ajit Pawar being targeted for the NCP’s split and hinting at Sharad Pawar, Sunetra said that the decision was a political one and that such decisions were made by by senior leaders several times in the past as well over various reasons. “Thus, my husband should not be criticised for a decision which he thought was in the larger interest of the country,” she said.

The NCP candidate said that the major issues in Baramati constituency were water scarcity and unemployment of the youth, two things she would be taking extra effort on. “The Baramati town has been established as a model town but the same has to be done in other towns and talukas in the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency. There is a lot of scope for development work in the constituency. There are many forts and historical as well as geographically important places in the constituency where tourism can be promoted, which in turn would increase employment for citizens. I will coordinate between the Centre, state and district for development work after I get elected to Lok Sabha,” Pawar said. She added that she was always into social work and would now do it in the capacity of an elected representative.

She said that the support of the alliance partners in the NDA will ensure she wins the election as everyone was working hard for it. She added there was a possibility of an election rally for Prime Minister Narendra Modi for all the NDA candidates in Pune district, which will benefit her in the election.