Mumbai, April 6 NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said on Monday that the Congress has every right to contest the Baramati assembly by-election, questioning the "political maturity" of his grandnephew Parth Pawar, who criticised the Congress for fielding a candidate against his mother and Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar.
He said the Pawar family did not field a candidate for the April 23 by-election as they were saddened by the death of the then Deputy CM and his nephew Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, which necessitated the electoral contest.
"There is no reason to seek an unopposed election. As an independent political party, the Congress has every right to contest the Baramati by-election," the NCP (SP) chief told reporters in New Delhi after taking oath as a Rajya Sabha member.
Sunetra Pawar filed her nomination for the by-election earlier in the day.
Despite appeals by the ruling BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP, and opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) for ensuring an unopposed contest, the Congress has given a ticket to Akash More in the by-election against Sunetra Pawar, who heads the NCP.
"I have not spoken to anyone (in the Congress). They should understand. Everyone (in the Congress) knows what is happening, so let them decide, but they will soon come to know what kind of suffering they will face in the state. Despite knowing the situation and people's love towards Ajitdada, they are doing this (fielding their candidate)," NCP leader Parth Pawar said earlier in the day.
Responding to queries on Congress entering the poll fray in Baramati, Sharad Pawar said an election must be fought with the presumption that there will be a contest.
"It is the prerogative of leaders of a party to nominate a candidate, and that cannot be termed as wrong," he added.
The former chief minister said any election is contested with the understanding that there will be an opponent in the poll arena.
"We have not fielded a candidate. Many people contest many elections. We are saddened by Ajit Pawar's untimely death. As the head of the Pawar family, it is my responsibility. Therefore, we decided not to contest this election," Sharad Pawar said.
Responding to criticism of Congress by Parth Pawar, the NCP (SP) chief said that making such statements in politics requires maturity, and he is unsure whether that level of political maturity has been attained.