Sharad Pawar's startling claim: NCP chief says he was offered 'guaranteed victory' in Maha assembly polls; backs Rahul's ‘voter-theft’ allegations
Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, said that two individuals who approached him in New Delhi ahead of Maharashtra’s 2024 assembly polls had “guaranteed” the opposition’s victory in 160 of 288 constituencies. Pawar, who spoke to reporters in Nagpur, said that her had facilitated a meeting between these people and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
He said that they ultimately dismissed the offer, stating that “this is not our way."
"We did not give it the attention it perhaps required. But I still remember—before the Assembly elections were announced, two people came to meet me in Delhi. They told me that Maharashtra has 288 Assembly seats, and out of those, they would guarantee us 160 seats. I was surprised. To be clear, even though they claimed such a guarantee, I did not have any doubts about the Election Commission. But such people do show up, so I ignored them," he told the reporters.
"I introduced them to Rahul Gandhi. He ignored what was told to him. He was also of the view that we (Opposition) shouldn't get involved in such things and go to the people directly," he added.
Pawar has backed Gandhi’s claims of voter theft and has demanded a detailed probe by the Election Commission into the allegations made.
He also criticised the EC, for asking Gandhi to file an affidavit and provide information under oath. He said that since the EC is an independent body, it shouldn't ask for a separate declaration from Gandhi. "Gandhi had also said this in Parliament. It is not proper for the election commission to ask for an oath (declaration) from him," Pawar said
Earlier on Thursday, Gandhi had made claims that there is a huge “criminal fraud” in the polls through “collusion” of the BJP and the election commission. He cited an analysis of voter rolls in a constituency in Karnataka last year. He also alleged that the Election Commission and the BJP colluded to "steal" the Lok Sabha election from the people, and that there was "vote theft" in at least three states.
Pawar said that Gandhi’s presentation of the vote theft was well researched and well documented. He said, “A detailed inquiry is needed into the concerns raised by him to clear doubts (about the integrity of the electoral process) among people." "I feel the inquiry will bring out the truth," Pawar told reporters.
After the claims were made, the Chief Electoral Officers of Karnataka and Maharashtra asked the former Congress chief to share the names of electors he claimed were "wrong" in the voters' list. They also asked for a signed declaration for poll authorities to initiate "necessary proceedings" in the matter.
The Election Commission had accused Gandhi of bringing up recycled allegations of poll irregularities which had already been settled by the Supreme Court. They asked Gandhi to provide a written declaration on his claims about the wrongful entries or write an apology.
Pawar said, "The issue raised by Rahul Gandhi with authentic proof cannot be ignored. A detailed probe will only bring out the truth". If there is no truth in what we are saying, the EC should clearly say so, he said, adding that the prestige of a crucial institution like the Election Commission should be maintained.
Hours after Pawar made the statements backing Gandhi, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis said, “No matter how much confusion the Opposition creates, elections are not held anywhere as transparent and free as in India. Those who accuse EVMs and the Election Commission speak in public. But they are not ready to give an affidavit. They say that we have taken an oath in Parliament. But is the oath in Parliament valid in the Supreme Court and the High Court? They know that if they are caught lying, criminal action can be taken against them tomorrow. Therefore, these are cowardly people who lie and run away every day,” criticised Fadnavis.
India