Sharad Pawar accepts defeat but smells a strategy in Mahayuti’s win

Pawar said no alliance partner would dare take on the BJP, which had a huge number. File pic/Ashish Raje

The architect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Sharad Pawar, has accepted the Vidhan Sabha verdict but says there seems to be a strategy behind the Mahayuti's win. He said the results were unexpected because the people were seen supporting the Opposition. In defeat, he has vowed to rise again and build a new leadership.

"I will not stay home. I will work with new vigour to build the party's programme," he said while talking to the media in Karad. "The details are not available yet. We will study them and come back to you."

Pawar said he was told about something strange. He said the elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly were held four months ago in which the Opposition parties won, but the ruling party won Haryana. "Similarly, Congress did well in Jharkhand but failed in Maharashtra. It seems the small states are for the Opposition and big states for the ruling parties," he said, asking reporters whether they had understood him.

The leader said the Ladki Bahin scheme-related campaign had misled the people because it was said that the scheme would stop if they were not voted to power. He said there was a 2 per cent rise in women voters. He refused to comment on the allegations regarding EVMs but endorsed information given to him that money was used like never before in the elections.

He also attributed the BJP's success to the leaders who were earlier associated with him or the Congress.

"Those who left us have succeeded," he said, adding that the ‘batenge to katenge' narrative had polarised the voters.

According to Pawar, the comparison between Baramati contestant Ajit Pawar and Yugendra Pawar was not possible, because the latter was a novice to politics whereas the former was known for his work and experience.

When asked about who the new CM would be, Pawar said no alliance partner would dare take on the BJP which had a huge number. "The BJP can do whatever it wants," he stated.