'Painful': Supriya Sule On Ajit Pawar-Led Split In NCP, Says 'He Will Always Remain My Elder Brother'

NCP MP Supriya Sule while hitting out at BJP said that it accepted NCP leaders despite terming the party as corrupt. Her statement came just hours after Ajit Pawar joined BJP-led Maharashtra government.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) working president and MP Supriya Sule took a dig at the BJP just hours after Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde government along with some other NCP leaders. While hitting out at BJP she said that it accepted her party leaders despite calling NCP corrupt. She termed Pawar joining the BJP-led Maharashtra government as "painful" but her relationship with him would remain the same, reported news agency ANI.

While addressing a press conference, she said, "BJP is 24x7 in election mood...BJP, which called the NCP a corrupt party, are now welcoming our leaders. How? I don't want to comment on who will be the candidates of BJP. I will concentrate on my work rather than peeking inside others' life...I am always with NCP and truth, I face these types of challenges every day. This one (Ajit Pawar's revolt) is a new challenge for me."

She then launched an attack on NCP leaders while hinting at the pressure from central agency and said, "We call them ICE (Income tax, CBI and ED). Most of the time they (National agencies) conduct inquiries of opposition leaders. I never blame those officers who are working there but it was happening from the other side, I call these things ICE."

According to her, Ajit Pawar's thoughts were not exactly aligned with her or the remaining NCP leaders for that matter. She said, "Thoughts and hate are different things, NCP never had hate inside the party or any misunderstanding. Ajit Pawar had different thoughts and we have different ones. We respect our all MLAs. I always speak with party workers and leaders, I spoke with them yesterday also and tomorrow also I will speak with them (Party leaders and members), said the NCP MP."

While expanding on her relationship not changing with Pawar, she said, "My relationship with Ajit Pawar will not change, he will always remain my elder brother. We will rebuild the party. Whatever happened is painful. Sharad Pawar treated everyone like a family and he is our senior leader, I don't think speaking after his statement will be correct."

Prior to Sule talking to the media, Sharad Pawar commented on Ajit Pawar's switch by saying, "We live in a democratic country where everyone has the right to speak for themselves and keep their points. Ajit Pawar's move is his own decision and point of view."

Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Sunday. Eight other NCP leaders also took oath as ministers alongside him.