Come out and vote, polls will decide Maharashtra’s future: Sharad Pawar to voters

Mumbai, Nov 20 (PTI) NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the assembly elections will decide Maharashtra’s future and appealed to people in the state to exercise their franchise.

Talking to reporters in Baramati town of Pune district after casting his vote, Pawar said all the electors should exercise their right to vote.

“This election is extremely important. It will decide the future of Maharashtra. I appeal to all citizens to come out and vote,” he said.

“It is not good that the voter percentage in Maharashtra is less than smaller states in the north east,” the former Union minister said.

Notably, the BJP on Tuesday played purported voice notes of state Congress chief Nana Patole and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule to allege attempts to encash Bitcoins to influence the state elections, claiming it poses a serious question on the conduct of polls in a free and fair manner.

Sule has refuted the allegations.

Pawar also said BJP’s allegations against his daughter Sule and Patole are not worth taking note of.

“The person making the allegations was in jail for several months so there is no need to take cognisance of what he said. It shows how low the BJP stoops,” the former state chief minister said without taking any name.

To a question on his assessment of the poll outcome, Sharad Pawar said he can see a change in power in the state and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) should get majority.

The MVA comprises the NCP (SP), Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) of Uddhav Thackeray.

During a rally of NCP leader and state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Baramati on November 18, his mother’s letter was read out which stated he suffered from injustice.

Asked about it, Sharad Pawar on Wednesday wondered how one can say that as he (Ajit Pawar) is in power and is the deputy CM.

Last year, Ajit Pawar and several other legislators joined the state government, leading to a split in the NCP founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar.

State NCP (SP) chief Jayant Patil said the assembly polls were crucial for farmers, youth and women.

“Maharashtra shows the path to the entire country. We have to protect this dharma. I appeal to the people to vote in this important and decisive election,” he said.