The Wealthy Power-Play: Supriya Sule Is Richest In Pawar Family, Sunetra Next

NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule is the richest in the Pawar family, while her father and the party supremo, Sharad Pawar, ranks third in the list, election affidavits showed.

According to the affidavits, Supriya Sule has family assets worth Rs 167 crore - nearly thrice as much as those of Sharad Pawar, who has assets worth Rs 61 crore.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has Rs 122 crore in assets.

The figures emerged during the nomination process for the Baramati by-poll, fueling the debate about "family versus wealth" in the election.

Voting for the Baramati assembly seat will take place on April 23, while the counting of votes will be held on May 4. A Pawar family stronghold, the Baramati seat is regarded as one of the most prestigious political constituencies in Maharashtra, and the election has evolved into a test of political legacy, emotional bonds, and development models.

Earlier this week, Sunetra Pawar filed her nomination papers to contest from the Baramati seat, setting the stage for a direct contest against Congress candidate Akash More. Addressing the people of Baramati, she said, "Every citizen of Baramati is a member of my family. I will never leave you feeling alone. The development of Baramati will continue to proceed at a rapid pace, just as it has in the past."

Sunetra's husband Ajit Pawar - who died in a plane crash in late January - had won the Baramati seat eight consecutive times.

Initially, there were calls for her to win unopposed, but with the entry of the Congress party, a direct contest has now been established.

Sunetra Pawar had recently lost the Lok Sabha election from Baramati to her sister-in-law, Supriya Sule.