MUMBAI: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday alleged that police vehicles are being misused to supply money to Mahayuti candidates in the Maharashtra Assembly election. He claimed that some police officers also informed him about it, but did not disclose details in order to “protect the officers”. However, Maharashtra home minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed NCP founder’s allegations stating he used to listen to such stories during Pawar’s regime.
The Pawar family on Saturday held two separate Diwali celebration events for the first time after a political rift between Sharad Pawar and his nephew and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. The Senior Pawar on Saturday hosted the Diwali celebration at his residence ‘Govindbaug’ on Baramati-Malegaon road in Baramati city, while Ajit Pawar hosted a Diwali celebration at his Katewadi residence, which is 10 km away from the Govindbaug.
Speaking with the reporters at Govindbaug, the NCP founder said that he has come to know from officials of many districts that candidates of the ruling parties are getting financial assistance for the election. The police vans have been used as per the police officers, he said.
Mr. Pawar said he wanted to speak on the issue openly in public, but he was refraining from doing so as this would hurt the officials who have shared the information with him. “Officials of the police department have also said this,” said the 83-old-Maratha leader, who was accompanied by his grandnephews Yugendra Pawar and Rohit Pawar in the press conference.
Referring to a separate Diwali celebration held by Ajit, the senior Pawar said, “Diwali has been celebrated here for many years. If the tradition was continued, it would have been great. I am feeling uneasy about it, because the people have to visit two places, which is causing inconvenience to them.”
Mr. Pawar said that most of the family members joined the Diwali celebration at Govindbaug, but Ajit Pawar may not have got time. “Both the sisters and brother of (Ajit Pawar) joined the Diwali celebration here,” he said.
Mr. Pawar said that the result of Haryana Assembly election would not have any impact on Maharashtra Assembly election. “Due to some local issues and social tension in Haryana, we did not get desired results. Bu there is no such tension in Maharashtra. Therefore, the situation of Haryana will not be repeated here,” he said.
When asked about Mr. Pawar’s allegation that police vans are being used to supply money to the ruling party candidates, Mr. Fadnavis said that he was being informed by the people about these things used to take place during Sharad Pawar’s regime. “I think he (Sharad Pawar) would have realised the same. Such things do not take place in our government,” Mr. Fadnavis said