Days after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar accused Supriya Sule of being a selfie-crazy MP, the Baramati legislator on Sunday hit back at her cousin, who is part of the BJP-led government, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was busy promoting himself through selfie points. “'The education department of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had made it mandatory for college students to take selfie with his picture. The education department had issued a directive to all colleges. Similarly, Union Minister Smirit Irani had set a target of taking one crore selfies with women. Besides, the central government had directed all colleges in the country to set up selfie points. At Delhi airport, you will find Prime Minister Modi’s selfie point. Selfie promotion is being done by the country’s prime minister. If the country’s Prime Minister is giving so much importance to selfies, then what is wrong if we did it,” the NCP leader said in Baramati. Last week, Ajit Pawar taunted Sule, saying he did not believe in roaming around taking selfies, delivering speeches in Parliament and bagging the Sansad Ratna award. “I work relentlessly for the people and address their problems,” he said. On Ajit Pawar’s contention that his family will campaign against her in the elections, Sule said, “I don’t know why he is dragging our family into politics. His family is also my family. Everyone belongs to me.there is no such thing as a separate family,” “Rishte dil se bante hai yaar, aisa nahi hota.” she added. Sule said that in politics, relations were not important but responsibilities carried more weight. “For me, relationship and work are two different things. My relations are one place while my work is at different place. My relations are not limited to my blood relatives. The people of my constituency are also my relatives. Relations are important for me, but equally important are my work and my constituency,” he said. Baramati has been witnessing a verbal war for sometime since it has become clear that both Sule and Ajit Pawar are going all out to win the seat. Sule wants to retain the seat for a fourth consecutive time, while Ajit Pawar has sought votes in favour of the candidate he will be fielding. Though he has kept the name of the candidate under wraps, the name of Sunetra Pawar has been doing the rounds. Her publicity posters have also sprung up in the constituency. But Sule has remained undeterred. “In a democracy, everyone has the right to contest elections.” she said. She has refused to utter a word against Sunetra Pawar. Neither has Sunetra said anything against Sule.
