SEPTEMBER 9, 2024- In a candid admission during a Jansamman rally in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar acknowledged his mistake of allowing politics to divide his family, citing his own experience in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Pawar, referencing the electoral battle between his wife Sunetra and cousin Supriya Sule, urged political leaders not to let family rifts spill over into public contests, noting that society doesn't accept breaking one's own family.

Pawar’s comments came as he addressed speculation about Bhagyashri, daughter of state minister Dharmarao Baba Aatram, potentially challenging her father in the upcoming Assembly elections. He called on Bhagyashri to support her father, stating that he had the capacity and determination to develop the region.

Reflecting on his own political decisions, Pawar admitted that fielding his wife against Sule had been a mistake, one that cost the NCP heavily in the elections. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP saw a poor performance, winning only one of four contested seats, while the Sharad Pawar faction secured eight of ten.

Pawar's appeal to Bhagyashri and others highlights the emotional and political tensions within Maharashtra's political landscape, where family ties often intersect with political ambition.