MVA shouldn't lose heart over poll defeat, Pawar says

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Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar has urged the Opposition not to be disheartened by its defeat in the recent Maharashtra elections, suggesting that the public's lack of enthusiasm for the sweeping victory of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance should be a cause for reflection. Pawar, speaking at a press conference, emphasised that the Opposition should shift focus to addressing the issues that matter to the people, particularly ensuring the promises made by the ruling alliance are delivered.

As per PTI, the NCP president pointed out that the promises made by the ruling alliance, such as increasing financial aid under the Ladki Bahin scheme from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100, must be implemented promptly. He noted that despite the massive win by the BJP-NCP-Shiv Sena alliance, there is noticeable discontent among the electorate. "It is true that we have been defeated, but we should not let that demoralise us. The key is to return to the people, as there is little enthusiasm regarding the election results. Instead, we see resentment," Pawar remarked.

The BJP-NCP-Shiv Sena (Mahayuti) alliance secured a dominant 230 out of 288 seats in the state elections on November 20, while the Opposition's numbers in the assembly remain comparatively low. However, Pawar remained optimistic about the potential of younger Opposition members, suggesting that with time, many of them will emerge as influential leaders.

Pawar also responded to the controversy surrounding the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Following Abu Asim Azmi's announcement of SP's exit from the MVA over a Shiv Sena (UBT) advertisement hailing those responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Pawar sought to downplay the incident. He affirmed that the central leadership of Akhilesh Yadav's SP remains committed to Opposition unity.

Regarding the Leader of Opposition post, Pawar pointed out that the Opposition could not demand this role due to their insufficient numbers. None of the Opposition parties, including NCP, Congress, or Sena (UBT), have the required 29 MLAs (ten per cent of the total assembly strength) to be eligible for the position. Reflecting on past experiences, Pawar shared that despite his own party being reduced to just six seats in the 1980s, he served as Leader of the Opposition for a year, followed by a rotational system that included other Opposition leaders.

As per PTI reports, Pawar also commented on the controversy surrounding a bundle of Rs 500 notes found in the Rajya Sabha, calling for an investigation into how the money ended up on the seat of renowned Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is also a prominent lawyer.

Pawar also critiqued the disparity between the votes polled and the seats won by various political parties in Maharashtra. While Congress garnered 80 lakh votes, it only secured 15 seats. In contrast, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, with 79 lakh votes, won 57 seats. Pawar further noted that Ajit Pawar's NCP bagged 58 lakh votes but only secured 41 seats, whereas the NCP (SP) garnered 72 lakh votes, winning just 10 seats.

In response, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis suggested that Pawar should accept the election results and counsel introspection within the Opposition, stating that the Opposition must come to terms with its defeat.

PTI reports also drew comparisons to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, highlighting a similar discrepancy between votes and seats, with Congress and NCP's results being disproportionately low given their vote share.

(With inputs from PTI)