Sharad Pawar launches poll campaign, calls for pulling down Mahayuti government

Sharad Pawar launched the NCP's election campaign, criticizing the ruling Mahayuti government and hinting at Jayant Patil as a potential CM candidate.

Mumbai: A day after the state assembly elections were announced on November 20, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party launched its election campaign at the concluding ceremony of ‘Shiv Swarajya Yatra’ in Sangli, where Sharad Pawar addressed a huge public rally and called to dismantle the ruling Mahayuti government. The ‘Shiv Swarajya Yatra’ ended after covering 19 districts and around 150 assembly constituencies in five phases.

Sharad Pawar launches poll campaign, calls for pulling down Mahayuti government

“Maharashtra is facing a different situation as wrong people are in power,” Pawar declared, emphasising that the people are suffering due to the government’s failures. He criticized the Mahayuti government for its perceived opportunism, pointing out that schemes like the Ladki Bahin Yojana emerged only after the coalition’s disappointing performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where they secured 17 of 48 seats, in stark contrast to the opposition-led MVA alliance, which won 30.

“They could have done a lot in the last two years but thought about women and others only after drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls after which the Ladki Bahin Yojana and other schemes were launched,” Pawar said.

Speaking at the concluding ceremony, Pawar also hinted at a bigger role for the state NCP president Jayant Patil leading to speculation that he could be the potential chief ministerial candidate from NCP (SP). “It is the wish of people like you, me and the entire state that Jayant Patil should take the responsibility on his shoulders to rebuild tomorrow’s Maharashtra. To realize this, all of you should stand by him,” Pawar said, amid a cheering crowd.

He further said that the beginning of shaping a progressive and developed state will begin from Sangli. “As the party president, I can firmly say that the shaping of a new and progressed Maharashtra, the most valuable contribution will come from this region and I have no doubt about it in my mind,” he said.

Highlighting his contributions to women’s empowerment, Pawar reminded the people that he introduced a law to give reservation for women in the local bodies which he said brought real respect for women in the state. “It started from nine per cent and has reached 50%. It is because of which my sister could become a sarpanch, my sister could become a member of panchayat samiti, council chairman and a mayor of municipal corporations,” he stated, reflecting on the positive changes that have allowed women to assume key leadership roles.

The veteran leader further underscored the alarming rise in crimes against women in Maharashtra, calling for a government that respects and protects them. “When we read newspapers, we see crimes against women, rape cases in Pune, Sangli and so on. Those who brought this situation, should not be allowed to continue. The picture of Maharashtra should be changed,” he insisted.

With the success in the Lok Sabha elections, NCP (SP) is to repeat its best performance in the state assembly polls where it is likely to contest around 80 seats. The party had contested 10 seats and won eight in the Lok Sabha polls. It includes the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, where Pawar’s nephew and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar fielded his wife Suntera against Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule but failed by over 1.58 lakh votes.

For the upcoming polls, senior Pawar is focusing on western Maharashtra, north Maharashtra, and parts of Marathwada, where he is believed to gain the most votes. Pawar is also expecting a few seats in the Vidarbha region, which is likely to make the NCP (SP) strike rate the best in the MVA coalition, informed party insiders. In total, western Maharashtra, north Maharashtra and Marathwada cover as many as 151 seats.