MUMBAI: NCP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule on Wednesday took on Ajit Pawar over the issue of her father's age, which her rebellious cousin has invoked as the reason for staking his claim to the party chief's post."Some people are saying that people who are senior now should give us their blessings (and retire).

Why should they stop working? Ratan Tatawho heads India's largest conglomerate is 86 years old.Serum Institute's Cyrus Poonawala's age is 84.

AmitabhBachchan is 82...do they look tired?" said the NCP MP, who also named Warren Buffet and Farooq Abdullah.

"Age is just a number, there is absolutely no match for Sharad Pawar, who has just crossed 83."She said the BJP leadership which had loftily claimed "Na khaunga, na khane doonga" have now joined hands with "the Naturally Corrupt Party (faction) of Ajit Pawar." This was the reason, she said, BJP was "the most corrupt party" in the country, adding that it was spreading hatred.

Sule said NCP would oppose it with all its might.

Sule who spoke at the meeting at Y B Chavan Centre in the presence of Sharad Pawar, said some of their colleagues had quit the party, but there was no cause for worry.

"It will give an opportunity to new and younger people, we must start the work with new zeal.

Power is never permanent, it comes and goes, we must create a new Maharashtra.

I am sure, we will continue with the party symbol and flag," Sule said.State party president Jayant Patil said while NCP was on the verge of entering its 25th year, all out efforts have been made to wipe out the party, but its opponents would never succeed.

"Till the recent past, no one had left the party.

It is unfortunate that a few days ago, some of our colleagues left the NCP.

All along Pawarsaheb had stood like a rock for them,'' Patil said.

Patil said he will not be surprised if the 40 rebel Shiv Sena legislators return to Uddhav Thackeray as a result of the recent developments.

"They left Shiv Sena since they were unhappy with Ajit Pawar, who was then finance minister.

Now, according to reports, Ajit Pawar will be back as FM.

For the first time in my political career, I am seeing such uncertainty," Patil said.