Mumbai: Breaking his silence a day after the Maharashtra Assembly election results, NCP founder Sharad Pawar on Sunday indicated that he would not retire from active politics. He also said that the results were not as per his party’s expectations and they will analyse the election data to figure out what went wrong. He said it was possible that the “Batenge toh Karenge” slogan of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath polarised the voters and participation of women voters helped the ruling parties.
Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) was contesting Maharashtra Assembly election in Maha Vikas Aghai along with Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). Mr. Pawar’s party won only 10 out of 87 Assembly seats contested, while the Congress and the Sena (UBT) had bagged 16 seats and 20 seats respectively.
Speaking with the reporters for the first time after the results, Mr. Pawar accepted the defeat and called the Maharashtra mandate people’s decision. “We will have to study the results and work for people with renewed energy,” the 83 year-old leader said.
The NCP founder also pointed out that the people of Maharashtra had supported the MVA in the Lok Sabha election, so the opposition parties were more confident about the Assembly election. “It appears that we were overconfident (on the people’s support). We need to work more for the state poll during the campaign,” he said.
Mr. Pawar noted that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s slogan “Batenge toh Katenge” had polarised the people in the Assembly election. BJP’s star campaigner Yogi Adityanath had continuously raised the slogan, which intended to consolidate the Hindutva voters.
Mr. Pawar also said that ruling parties also campaigned that if the MVA would be elected to power, the Ladki Behin scheme would be revoked. “It appears that because of the BJP campaign, the women had sided with the Mahayuti,” he said.
In a response to a query over his retirement from politics, Mr. Pawar said that it would be decided by him and his party colleagues. On the questions raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress on the credibility of EVMs, the veteran politician said that he did not want to comment on the issue unless he gets some authentic information about the EVMs.