Ladki Bahin Yojana a key reason for defeat, will start with renewed vigour: Sharad Pawar

In his first reaction after the Assembly election results, Pawar told media persons in Karad: “People have given their verdict. I have been in public life for years. I have not experienced anything like this… we will analyse it.”

With his party decimated to 10 seats in the election, the veteran leader said he would analyse the results and start “working with renewed vigour”. “The result is not what we expected it to be. It is people’s verdict, after all. I will seek full information about the defeat, analyse it, and start working with renewed vigour.”

Pawar accused the ruling Mahayuti of launching the Ladki Bahin scheme only to win elections.

“Ladki Bahin Yojana was only for election purposes. Besides, they told voters that they should vote for Mahayuti if the scheme has to continue. ‘If we don’t return to power, the scheme will be closed down’ … this is what the Mahayuti leaders told the voters and the sisters… It had an impact on the voting,” the NCP(SP) chief claimed.

Stating that the percentage of women voters increased because of the implementation of the Ladki Bahin Yojana, Pawar said, “From whatever information we have received from the people and party workers, I think Ladki Bahin Yojana was one of the important reasons behind our defeat. Women voters were actually paid some amount and then the ruling party leaders campaigned about it. They told the voters that they were giving a consolidated amount of two to three months in their account. And because they told the women voters that once Mahayuti is out of power, the scheme will be stopped, it worried the womenfolk who then voted against us.”

“The slogans like ‘batenge to katenge’ led to the polarisation of voters… And unless I get full information, I will not speak about EVMs,” he added.

Pawar also said there have been speculations that simultaneous elections are being conducted in big and small states to “defend the BJP’s victories in the big states and counter any allegations of misuse of EVMs”.

“The elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir were held a few months ago. The BJP won the bigger state of Haryana while the Opposition, a smaller state like Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, elections in Maharashtra were supposed to be held along with Haryana but were delayed and the poll was conducted with another smaller state like Jharkhand. The Opposition won Jharkhand, and the BJP won the bigger state of Maharashtra,” he said.

“Some people are saying that simultaneous polls are being so that if someone raises an objection against EVMs, the examples of Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir can be cited to counter the charges,” he added.

On the NCP led by his nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar winning 41 seats, Pawar said, “Everyone knows who founded the NCP.”

Asked about the defeat of his grandnephew Yugendra Pawar, who was fielded from Baramati seat against Ajit Pawar, the NCP(SP) leader said, “Someone had to be fielded from Baramati. If we had not fielded anyone, what message would have gone around in Maharashtra? We knew there could not be any comparison between Ajit Pawar and Yugendra Pawar. Ajit Pawar has been working in the party organisation and has been in power for years. On the other hand, there was an inexperienced candidate. They cannot be compared.”

Responding to a query about his retirement from active politics, Pawar said he would take any decision regarding it after consulting his colleagues.

On none of the MVA parties having the required seats to claim the Leader of Opposition post, he said, “This will not be the first time. It has happened earlier in the 80s as well.”