Hours after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s offer of a cabinet spot for her by calling him “magnanimous”, she was contradicted by her own father, Sharad Pawar. In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Sharad Pawar denied any outright offer from PM Modi of a cabinet post for his daughter, saying he had only praised her performance in parliament.
“For the last five years, some of the BJP leaders on many occasions suggest that (Supriya Sule) is a competent person, that she should join the process of decision-making and associate with us (BJP) on government but these are all general suggestions,” Mr Pawar said, asked about his widely-reported comments to a regional channel on Monday.
In the interview to ABP Majha, Mr Pawar had reportedly said he had rejected PM Modi’s offer to work together and include Ms Sule in his cabinet.
Any talk about the agriculture portfolio for Ms Sule was “absolutely false information”, he said, adding that the “Prime Minister never said this about any portfolio. He said she is doing a good job in parliament.”
Ms Sule never denied it, when asked to react to the so-called job offer.
“I was not in that meeting. That was between two seniors. It was the PM’s magnanimity if he made the offer. In Maharashtra personal relationships are very important, even if there are ideological differences,” Supriya Sule told NDTV.
“But if you hear what Pawar-ji said, ‘I humbly say no’,” she added. “Mr Pawar is not just my father but my boss too. And you know the boss is always right. You always have to follow the boss.”
News agency ANI quoted her as saying: “I am grateful that (the PM) said it, lekin wo ho nahi paaya (it didn’t happen).”
