Sharad Pawar speaks on MVA loss and retirement plan

Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the Ladki Bahin scheme, women's participation in voting in large numbers, and religious polarisation may have played a role in Mahayuti's victory in Maharashtra assembly polls.

He said the election results, declared on Saturday, are not on the expected lines but he would revitalise the party.

Responding to a query on his retirement from active politics, Pawar 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 polarisation 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-energising the new leadership.

Responding to a query on EVMs, a day after Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray 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.

Pawar 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.

Pawar said the poll outcome he had witnessed in his public life was unprecedented.

"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 Maha Vikas Aghadi was more confident after achieving success in Lok Sabha elections, adding that more work needs to be done.

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 demoralised 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. PTI