Decision on RS ticket to Sunetra taken by top NCP body, Bhujbal not upset: Ajit Pawar

Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said the decision to field his wife for Rajya Sabha bypoll was taken by his party NCP's apex body and denied reports that senior colleague Chhagan Bhujbal was upset over the move.

Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra on Thursday filed nomination papers as the NCP candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypoll in Maharashtra, days after she lost the Lok Sabha elections from Baramati. The bypoll was necessitated after NCP leader Praful Patel vacated his seat and got elected to the Upper House of Parliament for a full term of six years in February.

Asked about media reports that Bhujbal, a Cabinet minister, was sulking after Sunetra Pawar's nomination, the NCP president maintained his party colleague himself told him he was not upset.

He said some people, including those from the opposition, and "our close friends" are planting such reports but there was no truth in them.

"The decision about nomination was taken by the parliamentary board (NCP's key decision making body) and after that papers were filed (by Sunetra Pawar). Due to the tragic death of Amol Kale (Mumbai Cricket Association president), deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis could not attend the nomination filing. I also told Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a day before that they would be going to file nomination papers," Ajit Pawar said.

Still, there were reports that BJP and Shiv Sena leaders, allies of the NCP, were not present at the time of nomination filing, he stated.

"If I did not invite them, why would they be there?" Ajit Pawar asked.

Key NCP leaders, including Patel and Bhujbal, were present when Sunetra Pawar submitted her papers in the Vidhan Bhavan in south Mumbai, he pointed out.

Earlier in the day, Bhujbal said in Pune he desires to become an MP and that’s why he wanted to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Nashik and was also keen on Rajya Sabha nomination.

Bhujbal was replying to questions over reports claiming he was upset after Sunetra Pawar was given Rajya Sabha ticket.

Asked if injustice was meted out to him over Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha tickets, the prominent OBC leader said the question should be asked to “them”.

“It is my desire (to become an MP). That is why I was ready to contest from the Nashik Lok Sabha seat. As I had been told that my ticket was finalised in Delhi, I had started working but when the decision (to announce the name) dragged on for a month, I stopped as there was enough humiliation,” said Bhujbal.

The 76-year-old politician emphasised when it comes to party affairs, not all things fall in place as per one’s wishes.

“There could be reasons (for not giving him tickets). Sometimes, it’s destiny or some sort of compulsion,” he said.

On Thursday, Bhujbal had said though he was keen on a Rajya Sabha ticket, he was not upset with Sunetra Pawar’s nomination, which he described as a "collective decision" of the party.