On No Cabinet Berth For Ajit Pawar-Led NCP, Cousin Supriya Sule's Stinger

NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule on Monday said she was not surprised that the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) did not get a berth in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new cabinet.

Speaking to reporters in Pune on the 25th foundation day of the NCP, founded by her father, the Baramati MP said as the NDA holds its first cabinet meeting, it should grant full loan waiver for farmers.

"During the UPA regime, the NCP worked as an ally in the Manmohan Singh government. Manmohan ji showed trust and love towards Pawar saheb, and he got two and a half cabinet berths although the party had only eight or nine MPs at the time," she said.

The Congress did not think about numbers and respected the party as its ally, she said.

"In the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government also, everyone treated each other with respect. We did not stick to any formula. Our relationship was based on mutual respect and merit," Ms Sule said.

The MP said she was not surprised that the NCP did not get a cabinet berth.

"I have observed from close quarters how they (BJP) treated their allies in the last 10 years. Their approach is not of 'one size fits all' (equal treatment)," she said.

On Sunday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said the NCP wanted a cabinet berth in the Modi government and had declined the BJP's offer of minister of state (MoS) with independent charge.

Ajit Pawar has asserted that the NCP "was ready to wait" but wanted a cabinet berth.

The NCP, part of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra along with the BJP and the Shiv Sena, performed poorly in the Lok Sabha polls and won just one seat (Raigad) from the four it contested. It also lost the prestige battle in Baramati, where Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, was trounced by sitting MP Sule.

Asked about the NDA's first cabinet meeting, Ms Sule said the government should grant full loan waiver to farmers. "I hope they give this country a stable government. I expect a decision on loan waiver and commodities like onion and milk prices as farmers are under tremendous pressure," she said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)