“There have never been any issues within our family. We are all here to serve the people,” Sule said.
Mumbai: In the wake of talks of both NCP factions coming together, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Monday dismissed speculation of a rift within her family. Asserting that there have never been any issues within the Pawar family, she said all family members are there to serve the people.
“There have never been any issues within our family. We are all here to serve the people,” Sule said.
Her remarks came on the backdrop of NCP (SP) joining hands with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP for the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal elections. The move has prompted speculations of a possible reunification of the NCP and NCP-SP. Sule and NCP chief Ajit Pawar also released the joint manifesto for Pune civic elections on Sunday. This is the first time Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule shared the stage since the NCP split in 2023.
When asked whether a merger is possible between the two factions, Sule stressed that the alliance between the NCP and NCP(SP) has been formed for the upcoming local body elections in Pune. She, however, said that no decision has yet been taken on a permanent merger between the two parties.
Our alliance is formed for the Pune Municipal Corporation elections. We will see about it in the future, she added.
Ajit Pawar also declined to comment directly on the coming together of both parties. He said, “We are one family. In any family, people come together during times of happiness and sorrow. If family members choose to stand together, there is nothing wrong with that.”
When asked whether there were any chances of the two factions of the NCP coming together, Pawar said that winning the ongoing elections remains the immediate priority. “Right now, our top priority is to win the elections. We are doing everything possible to achieve a positive result, and that is where our focus lies at the moment,” he said.
However, Ajit Pawar has defended the decision to join hands with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction for the civic body polls saying it was taken after a feedback from party workers and leaders, who felt a united fight would prevent division of votes and improve electoral prospects.
