'Arey maang leta na...': Anguished Supriya Sule addresses cousin Ajit Pawar's rebellion, says he only should have asked
Taking the conflict head-on, Sule challenged Ajit Pawar and his camp to an open debate.
- Sep 25, 2024,
- Updated Sep 25, 2024 8:07 PM IST
In a heartfelt and candid address at the India Today Conclave, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Supriya Sule expressed her deep sense of betrayal following her cousin Ajit Pawar's rebellion and defection to the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. Sule, who has emerged as a key figure in the faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by her father Sharad Pawar, did not hold back her disappointment over Ajit Pawar’s actions.
“I never asked for it (NCP leadership). He was going to get it. Arey maang leta na sab de deti (I would have given the leadership to him had he asked. There was no need to snatch the party),” Sule said, her voice reflecting the hurt caused by the sudden rupture within the party. As the working president of the NCP's Sharad Pawar faction, Sule emphasized that the leadership was never contested and could have been amicably transferred had Ajit Pawar simply asked.
Taking the conflict head-on, Sule, who is a member of Parliament from Baramati, challenged Ajit Pawar and his camp to an open debate. “I am ready for an open debate with Ajit Pawar or anyone from his camp on this,” she declared, underlining her readiness to confront the accusations and justifications behind her cousin's breakaway move.
Sule's anguish over Ajit Pawar’s departure from the party was evident. "He chose to disrupt all our lives and go away. He had the option; it was all for him to keep," she remarked, implying that the upheaval was unnecessary and personal rather than political. She reiterated that the split was not about succession but about the larger issue of Ajit Pawar aligning with the BJP-Shiv Sena camp. "It was not about succession. This is about an alliance," she added, pointing to the broader political ramifications of his decision.
Ajit Pawar’s rebellion came in July 2023, sending ripples through Maharashtra’s political landscape. Known for his administrative acumen and a prominent figure within the NCP, Ajit Pawar stunned the political fraternity by leading a faction of the NCP into an alliance with the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, directly challenging the leadership of his uncle Sharad Pawar.
The move was seen as an act of rebellion against Sharad Pawar’s authority within the party, which he co-founded in 1999. Despite his long association with the NCP and his consistent positioning as a natural successor, Ajit Pawar’s decision to join the BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde was interpreted as a strategic gamble to consolidate his own political future. His faction argued that aligning with the ruling alliance was a necessary step to ensure political relevance in Maharashtra, where the BJP and Shiv Sena dominate the landscape.
The split has not only divided the NCP but has also resulted in a bitter public feud within the Pawar family. Ajit Pawar’s decision to take the oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde deepened the political rift, with the Sharad Pawar faction asserting that Ajit’s actions were a betrayal of the party’s ideological foundations.
Since the split, the two factions have engaged in a tug-of-war over the party’s name, symbol, and assets, with both sides making claims to the legacy of the NCP. Sharad Pawar, despite being in his 80s, has continued to lead the faction opposing Ajit’s move, aiming to rebuild and reinforce the NCP’s political influence.
In a heartfelt and candid address at the India Today Conclave, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Supriya Sule expressed her deep sense of betrayal following her cousin Ajit Pawar's rebellion and defection to the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. Sule, who has emerged as a key figure in the faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by her father Sharad Pawar, did not hold back her disappointment over Ajit Pawar’s actions.
“I never asked for it (NCP leadership). He was going to get it. Arey maang leta na sab de deti (I would have given the leadership to him had he asked. There was no need to snatch the party),” Sule said, her voice reflecting the hurt caused by the sudden rupture within the party. As the working president of the NCP's Sharad Pawar faction, Sule emphasized that the leadership was never contested and could have been amicably transferred had Ajit Pawar simply asked.
Taking the conflict head-on, Sule, who is a member of Parliament from Baramati, challenged Ajit Pawar and his camp to an open debate. “I am ready for an open debate with Ajit Pawar or anyone from his camp on this,” she declared, underlining her readiness to confront the accusations and justifications behind her cousin's breakaway move.
Sule's anguish over Ajit Pawar’s departure from the party was evident. "He chose to disrupt all our lives and go away. He had the option; it was all for him to keep," she remarked, implying that the upheaval was unnecessary and personal rather than political. She reiterated that the split was not about succession but about the larger issue of Ajit Pawar aligning with the BJP-Shiv Sena camp. "It was not about succession. This is about an alliance," she added, pointing to the broader political ramifications of his decision.
Ajit Pawar’s rebellion came in July 2023, sending ripples through Maharashtra’s political landscape. Known for his administrative acumen and a prominent figure within the NCP, Ajit Pawar stunned the political fraternity by leading a faction of the NCP into an alliance with the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, directly challenging the leadership of his uncle Sharad Pawar.
The move was seen as an act of rebellion against Sharad Pawar’s authority within the party, which he co-founded in 1999. Despite his long association with the NCP and his consistent positioning as a natural successor, Ajit Pawar’s decision to join the BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde was interpreted as a strategic gamble to consolidate his own political future. His faction argued that aligning with the ruling alliance was a necessary step to ensure political relevance in Maharashtra, where the BJP and Shiv Sena dominate the landscape.
The split has not only divided the NCP but has also resulted in a bitter public feud within the Pawar family. Ajit Pawar’s decision to take the oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde deepened the political rift, with the Sharad Pawar faction asserting that Ajit’s actions were a betrayal of the party’s ideological foundations.
Since the split, the two factions have engaged in a tug-of-war over the party’s name, symbol, and assets, with both sides making claims to the legacy of the NCP. Sharad Pawar, despite being in his 80s, has continued to lead the faction opposing Ajit’s move, aiming to rebuild and reinforce the NCP’s political influence.