Mumbai, Mar 31 (IANS): Hours after announcement of her nomination, NCP (SP) candidate from Baramati and sitting MP Supriya Sule on Sunday claimed she does not see her fight with sister-in-law and NCP Ajit Pawar faction nominee Sunetra Power as a fight between two family members but an ideological battle.
"It is a fight against BJP's oppressive and wrong policies, corruption, rising inflation and unemployment. The Electoral Bonds have been a major scam. As far as Baramati is concerned, the water availability for drinking and agriculture is the main issue that I will take up during my campaigning," she said.
Supriya claimed, "BJP leaders come to Baramati asking voters to defeat Sharad Pawar but they do not seek votes on development issues. It is so ironic that BJP engineered a split in the family (Pawars) and they now need a woman (Sunetra Pawar) against me. It is really very sad."
"The sister-in-law is like a mother as I have grown up in such a Sanskar. As I have repeatedly said it is not a fight against any individual but against an ideology," Supriya said.
The leader said she had neither hurled any abuses, nor levelled corruption charges against anybody.
Supriya claimed that she treats the election as a challenge and not a gathering of family or friends.
"People have seen my performance in the Lok Sabha. I have always been an active participant in debates over policies that are decided in the Parliament. I never take any election lightly as well as my duty as MP," said Supriya.
She also added that she had not faced any corruption charges.
Supriya thanked her party for her nomination and also thanked the voters of Baramati for giving her an opportunity for three terms to serve them.
Supriya said she will also flag off the "burgeoning" crime rate in Maharashtra during the "triple engine" sarkar in Maharashtra (MahaYuti government comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP).
"It is really a matter of serious concern over the rise in various crimes in the state. I have repeatedly appealed to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take proactive steps to curb the crime. However, whenever Fadnavis becomes home minister there has been substantial rise in crime in Maharashtra. I am not saying this... The data released by the Central Government's agencies says so," she claimed.
She criticised the MahaYuti government terming it "Ab ki baar golibar sarkar" (referring to the recent shooting incident involving a BJP MLA in a police station in Ulhasnagar.