Sharad Pawar Reflects on "Unexpected" Election Results, Calls for Introspection

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday addressed the "unexpected" election results in a press conference, offering insights into his party's next steps and raising concerns about the electoral process.

Pawar expressed surprise at the outcome but reiterated that his party respects the decision of the people.“The election results were not expected, but this is the decision of the people. Until I get more information, I will not make any statement about EVMs. We have been in public life for so many years, and such results have never come before. We will analyze where we went wrong and will return to the people with full enthusiasm," he said.

The NCP leader acknowledged that the Ladli Behna Yojana, a prominent welfare scheme, could have influenced voter sentiment. "The information we are getting from people suggests this could also be a reason," stated Sharad Pawar. The scheme, targeted at providing financial support to women, has been a key plank in the ruling party’s election strategy.

Pawar pointed out the stark difference between results in Maharashtra's Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. He remarked, “It’s true that the role taken by the people of Maharashtra gave us confidence. We conducted our campaign at a different level, but it seems more work needs to be done.” The NCP’s strong performance in past Lok Sabha elections did not translate into similar success in the state assembly polls, suggesting a shift in voter dynamics.

While Pawar refrained from making direct allegations regarding the election process, he voiced concerns about the scale of money power in the campaign. “Until I get concrete information, I cannot make any statement about the system. However, we have never heard of money being used at such a scale in Maharashtra before,” he said, alluding to the increasing influence of financial resources in electoral politics.

The NCP SP chief also addressed the controversial remarks made by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during the campaign. Pawar stated, "After the speech given by the UP Chief Minister, polarization certainly happened. This is evident at first glance.” Pawar’s reflections underscored the need for introspection and strategic recalibration within his party as it navigates future political challenges.​