Sule stands by her father, warns against maligning her father

Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar and working president of the Nationalist Congress Party, stands by her father amid party division and warns rivals not to target him. Sule has been at the forefront in mobilizing party members since Pawar's nephew rebelled against him. She also vows to expose the misdeeds of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra.

Mumbai: Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar’s daughter and working president of the Nationalist Congress Party, said she stands by her father in their battle that has not only divided the party vertically but also their family.

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Sule, who was promoted as working president of the party less than a month ago, said , “Let me tell you one thing, do not try to malign my father.”

Compared to Ajit, Sule spoke briefly but cautioned the rivals not to target her father. “One can say anything to us and make allegations against me. I am ready to hear anything but not about my father,” said Sule.

“I am a woman and get emotional on a small issue but when it comes to confrontation I will transform into Ahilya (Ahilyabai Holkar), Tararani (Tarabai Bhosale) and Jijau (Jijabai Bhosle),” she said warning the splinter group of the NCP not to utter anything against her father.

She got emotional when Jitendra Awhad, NCP leader and MLA made an emotional speech saying that those who “consider” Pawar as their guru (teacher) have attacked him and left him wounded.

“Those who are asking my father to sit at home and do nothing but give his blessings, a daughter is better than you all,” she said taking a jibe at her cousin Ajit, who asked Sharad Pawar to retire from active politics.

She pointed out that industrialists such as Ratan Tata, Cyrus Poonawala and Warren Buffet, who are either of the same age or older than Sharad Pawar, are still active in their professions.

Ever since Ajit rebelled against Pawar, Sule has been at the forefront in mobilising the MLAs and the other office bearers. She was personally calling people and stood as a reliable force with her 82-year-old father who is also struggling with health issues.

She was the one who went to ‘Devagiri’, Ajit’s official residence, in a last-ditch effort to convince him to stay in the NCP on Sunday, the day Ajit and eight others declared joining the coalition government by taking oath as ministers in a hurriedly held swearing in ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

She was introduced to active politics some 17 years ago with her election as Rajya Sabha MP in September 2006. In 2009, she took over the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency that was represented by Sharad Pawar till then.

She has won the seat three times. Her rise in the NCP in recent years was being viewed as a sign that Sharad Pawar has been preparing his daughter for more significant responsibilities.Significantly, Ajit rebelled against his uncle soon after Sule was elevated as the working president.

Sule also vowed to expose the misdeeds of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra and said those who used to allege that NCP means Naturally Corrupt Party have decided to take the same NCP with them in the government.

“The one who used to say “na khaoonga, na khaane doonga” (he will neither indulge in corruption himself nor will he allow others to indulge in corruption), I will expose what all his party has done,” she said, without taking naming prime minister Narendra Modi by repeating his statement against corruption.

“This is our Maharashtra and we will fight against them,” the 54-year-old leader added.

Sule, who has formed Rashtravadi Yuvati Congress, a wing of young women, to connect with youths and build a network across the state, sought an opportunity to demand election tickets to a significant number of women leaders in the party in the upcoming elections.

“Power keeps coming and going. The chairs have gone vacant so new faces will now get an opportunity. Why don’t Pawar saheb give 33% reservation to women in the elections. I am not asking for 50% reservation for women candidates,” she said.