Ajit ‘mistake’ remark: Sule keeps mum, but other leaders say bid to rebuild tattered image

Ajit Pawar on Tuesday also indicated that he would be meeting Sule on Raksha Bandhan. ”Currently, I am touring North Maharashtra. On Raksha Bandhan, if I am in Baramati, I will certainly meet my sister..,” he said.

The Baramati polls had witnessed an ugly duel between Ajit Pawar’s family on one side and the entire Pawar clan on the other. Ajit Pawar had himself led Sunetra’s campaign. BJP and Shiv Sena had backed him to the hilt. Ajit Pawar had even made peace with his long-time adversaries like Vijay Shivtare and Harshavardhan Patil. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too chipped in by targeting Sharad Pawar at his Pune rally, calling him ”bhatakti aatma.”

Allegations and counter-allegations were hurled against each other by both the camps. Ajit Pawar had gone to the extent of warning voters that development of Baramati will be affected if the candidate of his choice was not elected. He had also raised doubts about Sule’s contribution to the development of Baramati during her 15 year tenure as MP.

The bitterness between Ajit Pawar and Sule had reached such a point that the deputy chief minister was even refusing to answer his sister’s phone calls. ”CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis respond to my calls but Ajit Pawar never responds neither returns my calls,” she had told The Indian Express. On her part, Sunetra Pawar however refused to be part of the ugly war between the brother-sister duo.

After the polling, the Sule camp had alleged that a huge amount of money was distributed to influence the voters by the Ajit Pawar camp. Ajit Pawar had, however, denied the allegations. Sule ultimately emerged the winner with a big margin of votes. In victory, Sule was modest, describing her ”Vahini” (sister in law) as her mother. Sunetra, however, refused to congratulate Sule.

Vithal Maniyar, a close friend of Sharad Pawar from his college days and who had predicted Sule’s victory, said, ”Good that Ajit Pawar has finally realised his mistake. Now he has got the experience…everyone learns from experience. Probably, he got carried away by some people who egged him on to let his wife fight from Baramati seat. He didn’t realise the mood of Baramatikars amidst all the noise.”

Mukund Kirdat, spokesperson, AAP, said Ajit Pawar’s comments should be seen in the light of his attempt to correct his image. ”After the big loss of face in Baramati, the way Ajit Pawar is projecting himself, it seems like he is trying to rebuild his image which has been in tatters. If he is saying that he had mistake by fielding his wife, then he is trying to taper down the humiliation his immediate family suffered in Baramati. How can it be a mistake ? It was well-planned and thought out. He was planning it for months. And even after fielding his wife, he had the opportunity to withdraw her from the race, but he had thought it through, that he can influence the voters. He was wrong. The voters instead delivered him a big blow because he changed his ideology. The voters didn’t like it one bit,” Kirdat said.

NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil said, ”I have also not seen the statement. But if he has made the statement, then we cannot comment about it.”

Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said, ”Everyone makes a mistake. If Ajit Pawar has accepted that he has made a mistake, it only shows his large heartedness.”

Incidentally Ajit Pawar also came out in support of his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar who is being targeted by allies, including BJP and Shiv Sena.