Supriya Sule interview: ‘It is painful … BJP, with all its might, could find no one else to fight me’

Three-time MP from Baramati and Sharad Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule, arrived at a local dargah in Baramati where she was to inaugurate a hall—as part of her election campaign and she had been meeting people in small groups. That day she was also billed to hold four condolence meetings with people who had lost their loved ones. Dressed in a simple, lavender-coloured cotton saree, she chatted with around 50 people gathered there in the morning. It was interesting to see the Muslim women do a “haldi kumkum” ceremony for Supriya and the Muslim men break coconuts as an auspicious gesture, ceremonies associated more with the Hindus.

After Ajit Pawar shifted his loyalty to the BJP last year, Baramati is witnessing a bitter “Pawar vs Pawar” political slugfest. In an interview, Supriya expresses her anguish at the latest turn of events.

Excerpts:

You have fought elections from Baramati three times. What is new about this election?

This is the first time it has become so personal. It’s never been personal in the past. None of my opponents in the past had made it personal like this. (This time) the attack is from the other side.

What is it that you are finding most difficult?

I am disappointed that my opponent is taking it this way. This is not my politics, my politics has been ideological. I never commented about personal things, not even (when I criticise) Narendra Modi or Amit Shah whose ideology I oppose. I take my job very seriously. For me, I am fighting the BJP. With all the might of the BJP, they could find only a Pawar to fight against me. They could find no one in their cadre to fight me.

People all over the country are now watching the full-scale ‘Pawar versus Pawar’ war that is being played out in Baramati, with all its