Pune: Supriya Sule, a Lok Sabha MP from the Nationalist Congress Party (SP), told PTI on Sunday that the fight between her and sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar in the Baramati constituency is a ploy by the BJP to finish off NCP founder and her father Sharad Pawar. She emphasised that this intra-family showdown in Baramati will not affect her respect for Sunetra Pawar who she claimed was “like a mother” to her. 

This Pawar family match comes as a result of a split in the NCP last year when Ajit Pawar parted ways with Senior Pawar and sided with the ruling BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra. Baramati goes to polls in the third phase on May 7.

While speaking to PTI, claimed that the Pawar vs Pawar competition in Baramati is “against the Pawar family and Maharashtra,”

Sule expressed sadness over BJP's involvement in "dirty politics" in Maharashtra and in their family matters. “Let bygones be bygones, but for me, my sister-in-law, whom we call 'vahini' in Marathi, will remain in the position of mother, and my respect for her will remain as before,” she said.

The Baramati constituency in Pune district comprising Baramati, Indapur, Daund, Purandar, Bhor, and Khadakwasla assembly segments has been a bastion of Sharad Pawar since the 1960s.

Ajit Pawar has been an MLA from Baramati since 1991, with his victory in 2019 being among the most crushing in the state's poll history.

It was Ajit Pawar, the sitting MLA from the Baramati assembly segment, who used to play a key role in Sule's victory in the past polls by ensuring that the vote bank of the Pawars remained unaffected.

Besides Sule, Sharad Pawar (83) has also been touring the constituency and holding meetings with various groups to leave nothing for chance.

Polls to the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20 and votes will be counted on June 4.