People not enthused by Mahayuti victory: Sharad Pawar

PUNE: Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said there was no enthusiasm visible among the people of Maharashtra after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti coalition’s landslide victory in the recent assembly elections.

Pawar, however, refused to make random allegations on the poll outcome amidst large-scale allegations of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) being tampered with.

“There was no enthusiasm visible in the people after the Mahayuti’s massive mandate. However, I will not make any allegations since I don’t have official data,” said Pawar whose party could win only 10 seats in the 288-member assembly.

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The NCP (SP) chief said that when he attended public rallies during the poll campaign at Ichalkaranji, Kolhapur and other places, he found the public view in favour of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) unlike the poll outcome.

His remarks come on a day when the MVA members, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leaders. refused to take oath as MLAs while alleging misuse of EVMs.

Pawar said his party has collected some data on how many votes each party has got and the number of people elected.

“Congress got around 80 lakhs while the number of elected members from the party are 15. Shiv Sena got 79 lakh votes with 57 members elected. We (NCP-SP) got 72 lakh votes with 10 members elected. Ajit Pawar-led NCP received 58 lakh votes with 41 members elected. This is just the data we are presenting. Commenting on it at this point is not appropriate since we don’t have any more information,” he said.

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In the assembly polls, the Sharad Pawar-led party contested 87 seats while Ajit’s NCP fought on 59 seats.

Pawar also said the Opposition need not worry, but it should go back to the people after the setback.

The Opposition’s MVA alliance will work to ensure that the government kept all its pre-poll promises, including increasing the financial assistance for women under the Ladki Bahin scheme to ?2,100 from ?1,500, he said.

On Samajwadi Party’s (SP) Maharashtra chief Abu Asim Azmi announcing that his party was pulling out of the MVA alliance after the Sena (UBT) on Friday hailed those who demolished the Babri Masjid in December 1992, Pawar said the central leadership of the SP was firm on maintaining the Opposition unity.

About the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, Pawar said the MVA parties cannot insist that they get the post as they don’t have the required numbers.