Maharashtra Polls: Sharad Pawar Opens Up On MVA's Defeat, Ajit Pawar’s Performance & Retirement Plans — READ

Sharad Pawar said that the Ladki Bahin scheme, women's participation in voting in large numbers, and religious polarization may have played a role in Mahayuti's victory in the Maharashtra polls.

NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar addresses during the release of Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) guarantees for the Maharashtra assembly elections, in Mumbai on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)

Sharad Pawar On Maharashtra Polls: Day after facing defeat in the Maharashtra Assembly polls, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar opened up about the results and also tried to list out the reasons behind the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance’s resounding win and opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi’s crushing defeat.

While admitting that the poll results were not on the expected lines, Pawar stated that the Ladki Bahin scheme, women's participation in voting in large numbers, and religious polarization may have played a role in Mahayuti's victory in the polls. He also stated that he would revitalize the party. Responding to a query on his retirement from active politics, the veteran leader tersely said he and his party colleagues will decide.

Speaking to reporters in Karad city in Satara district, Pawar acknowledged that the NCP led by his nephew and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar secured more seats than the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), adding, "Everyone knows who founded the NCP."

"The Ladki Bahin scheme and religious polarization played a role. Women's participation in large numbers could be the reason for the Mahayuti sweep in Maharashtra. We will study the reasons for the debacle and take necessary steps," he said. Pawar asserted that the NCP (SP) would go to people by re-energizing the new leadership.

Responding to a query on EVMs, a day after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut expressed doubts over the massive verdict in Mahayuti's favour, Pawar said he would speak about EVMs only if he has official data.

The senior NCP (SP) leader suffered the worst-ever defeat in his political career in Maharashtra polls, with the NCP faction led by him winning only 10 seats in the 288-member House while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP bagged 41. The Mahayuti scored a massive victory with the BJP winning 132 seats, Shiv Sena led by Shinde 57, and NCP 41. In contrast, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi was restricted to 46 seats.

Elaborating about the poll results, Pawar said that despite the hard work, MVA did not achieve the desired results. "The MVA coalition put in a lot of hard work, but the desired results were not achieved even though people responded positively to MVA during campaigning," the NCP (SP) chief added. He said the MVA was more confident after achieving success in Lok Sabha elections, adding that more work needs to be done.

In the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, the opposition camp bagged 30 out of 48 seats. When asked if he was jolted by the poll outcome, Pawar said, "The poll results were declared yesterday. Today I am in Karad. Those who were demoralized would have sat at home."

He also said fielding his grandnephew Yugendra Pawar against Ajit Pawar on the home turf of Baramati wasn't a wrong decision as someone had to contest the elections. Ajit Pawar defeated Yugendra by a margin of over 1 lakh votes to win the eighth term in Baramati. "Ajit Pawar and Yugendra Pawar cannot be compared. We were aware of this fact," Sharad Pawar added.

(With PTI Inputs)