Mumbai: NCP nominee Sunetra Pawar, who lost the just concluded Lok Sabha elections from Baramati to her sister-in-law Supriya Sule, filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha by-elections slated for June 25 on Thursday.
Sunetra Pawar was accompanied by her husband and NCP President Ajit Pawar, Working President Praful Patel, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare, Assembly Deputy Speaker Narahari Zirwal, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Munde, Anil Patil and Dharmarao Baba Atram.
However, NCP allies BJP and Shiv Sena were conspicuous by their absence though NCP leaders claimed that they had already briefed the two allies about Sunetra Pawar’s nomination.
The bypoll was necessitated after NCP leader Praful Patel resigned after being re-elected to the Upper House in February.
After thanking her husband Ajit Pawar for her nomination, Sunetra Pawar said, “There was no resentment as the decision was taken unanimously. Veteran party leader and minister Chhagan Bhujbal has wished me luck. I was nominated because of people’s demand. Parth Pawar (her son) has also said that due to people’s demand, I should be nominated.’’
Her nomination was formally cleared on Wednesday by the NCP ministers at a meeting chaired by Ajit Pawar, although senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal had expressed his resentment over the manner in which her name was proposed without following the due procedure of getting the approval of the party’s Parliamentary Board.
Apart from Bhujbal, former minister Baba Siddique, who recently left the Congress and joined the NCP, and ex-MP Anand Paranjape were also aspirants for a nomination.
However, Praful Patel claimed that there was no resentment over Sunetra Pawar’s nomination as the decision was taken thoughtfully.
Bhujbal also toned down later and said that he was not upset over Sunetra Pawar’s nomination.
“The party’s core group members have unanimously decided to give the Rajya Sabha seat to Sunetra Pawar. Several people, including me, wanted the seat but after discussions, we have decided that Sunetra Pawar should be sent to the Upper House. I am not at all upset by this decision. We have taken this decision for the party.”
–IANS