"Not Acceptable To Society": Ajit Pawar On Why Leaving Family Was A Mistake

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has made another admission of his "mistake" in splitting the party and family -- this time to stop a party leader's daughter from crossing over to his uncle's camp and contesting against her father.

State minister Dharmarao Baba Atram's daughter Bhagyashree is apparently ready to join the Sharad Pawar faction and contest from Aheri against Atram.

At a public gathering in Gadchiroli today, Ajit Pawar said, "I want to tell you that even now, do not make this mistake. Stay with your father. No one can love his daughter as much as a father does. By doing this, you will create a rift in your own house".

That course of action, he said, "is not right" -- because "this is not acceptable to the society".

"We have also gained experience in this context, and I have now understood my mistake and I accept it," he added.

Pawar Junior, who split his uncle Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party and joined hands with the  BJP and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena last year, has made multiple comments about his "mistake" since the Lok Sabha election.

His party had got a drubbing -- with the voters staunchly backing Sharad Pawar.

Not only did his wife Sunetra Pawar lost the contest with his cousin Supriya Sule from Baramati, his faction of the party managed to score only one seat of the four he contested.

Last month, Mr Pawar had conceded that it was a mistake to field his wife against his sister.

One should not allow politics to enter home, Mr Pawar had told a Marathi news channel.

"I love all my sisters. One shouldn't allow politics to enter homes. I made a mistake in fielding Sunetra against my sister. This shouldn't have happened. But the parliamentary board (of NCP) made a decision. Now I feel it was wrong," Ajit Pawar had said, raising speculation of a possible rapprochement.