Modi targeting Pawar to grab headlines: NCP's Supriya Sule

NCP leader and Lok Sabha candidate Supriya Sule has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was targeting her father Sharad Pawar during election rallies in Maharashtra just to garner headlines.

Sule, seeking re-election from the family bastion of Baramati in Pune district, said Modi has no issue to highlight and hence he is making personal remarks against Pawar, his family and the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party).

The PM, in his election rallies in Maharashtra, has been speaking about internal affairs of the NCP and the Pawar family. He had accused Pawar of drawing inspiration from the "Delhi model" of dynasty.

"Modi is really in a crisis mode when he criticises us and says he is targeted because he is (from) a backward (class). Do we say such things," she asked while talking to PTI.

Asked about the BJP's attempts to make a dent in her constituency, Sule said she was flattered as a woman that top leaders of the saffron party are working to defeat her.

"If they wanted to defeat me, they could have put some one to work on the ground," she said.

"There is very little difference between my normal routine and election campaign. Campaigning is always fun. I am always on the road normally except during Parliament sessions.

"I am asking people to vote for me. Whereas my opponents were missing for four years and 11 months and suddenly surfaced during elections.

"My opponent has changed this time but that doesn't mean anything to me. I look at ideology and not the personality," said Sule, who is contesting from Baramati for a second time.

"I flattered as a woman that all powerful men in the country are putting up their might in Baramati now," she said.

Hitting out at Modi for his critical comments against her family, she said ,"It is unfortunate that Pawar and his family are being targeted. Maharashtra elections have never been personal.

"They have always been about policies. But, if Pawar isn't targeted, how will Modi get into headlines in Maharashtra since he has no issues to speak of?"
Targeting the PM for seeking votes in the name of Pulwama martyrs, she said, "It is unfortunate he was riding piggyback on somebody else's sacrifice. This is very sad."
Hitting out at opponents for speculating about a rift in the Pawar family after initial hesitation by Pawar to field his nephew Ajit Pawar's son Parth from the Maval seat, Sule questioned, "Have they put CCTVs in our homes?"
"OK.. we don't have a face and you (BJP) have.... has this helped to curb price rise, tackle educated unemployment and farm crisis?
Asked why her father had declined to contest the Lok Sabha polls after first announcing to do so, she said, "He has won 14 elections in his life."