Sharad Pawar got angry with a journalist at a recent press meet in Ahmednagar's Shrirampur.

Maharashtra MP Supriya Sule today joked that her father, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, was "fortunate" to not have a son who would jump ship to another party in pursuit of a brighter political career and then try to take him along.

"It's become a trend in Maharashtra politics for sons to take their fathers along to other parties. A daughter is better than such a son," news agency PTI quoted Ms Sule as saying. She was referring to certain NCP leaders who joined the BJP and the Shiv Sena recently, giving rise to speculation that their parents - also members of the party - were on their way out too.

She, however, did not name anybody in particular.

MLAs Sandip Naik and Vaibhav Pichad, sons of senior NCP leaders Ganesh Naik and Madhukar Pichad, joined the BJP recently. Madhukar Pichad was present when Vaibhav joined the BJP, while there is speculation that Ganesh Naik may make the big leap too.

Ranajagjitsinh, son of Sharad Pawar's close aide Padamsinh Patil, also announced his plans to join the BJP on Saturday. The NCP chief flew into a rage when a reporter questioned him in this regard at a press conference in Ahmednagar's Shrirampur on Friday, even asking him to leave the spot.

"I was surprised too. I have never seen him getting this angry earlier. But you can't blame him for getting irritated. He is a human being after all," Ms Sule said. "I am of the opinion that we should introspect as to how many times we should ask the same question to someone of one's father's age."

Many opposition leaders in Maharashtra and other states have deserted their parties to join the BJP following the latter's emphatic victory in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Maharashtra will go to the polls in the coming months.

(With inputs from PTI)