NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday urged the Opposition to remain resilient despite its electoral defeat, emphasising the need to reconnect with the people, who appear indifferent to the BJP-led Mahayuti’s sweeping victory in the Maharashtra elections.
Pawar remarked that Mahayuti’s landslide victory had failed to evoke enthusiasm among the people, signalling underlying resentment.
Addressing a press conference, Pawar stated that the Opposition’s priority should be to hold the ruling alliance accountable for delivering on its election promises, including the proposed increase in financial aid to women under the Ladki Bahin scheme from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100.
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“It is true that we have been defeated. We should not fret over it, but go back to the people, as no enthusiasm is visible among the people about the election results. There is a lot of resentment,” the senior politician said.
He also expressed surprise over the disparity between votes polled and seats won by various parties in the state elections. “While we have faced defeat, we must not dwell on it. Instead, we should return to the people. There is visible discontent despite the election outcome,” he said.
The BJP-NCP-Shiv Sena alliance claimed 230 of the 288 seats in the November 20 elections, leaving the Opposition with a diminished presence in the assembly. However, Pawar expressed optimism, noting that several young Opposition MLAs could prove their capabilities in the coming sessions.
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Commenting on the Samajwadi Party (SP) state chief Abu Asim Azmi’s announcement to exit the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance over a Shiv Sena (UBT) newspaper advertisement, Pawar downplayed the situation, asserting that the SP’s central leadership, led by Akhilesh Yadav, strongly believed in Opposition unity.
Pawar acknowledged that the Opposition lacked the numbers to demand the Leader of the Opposition post, as no single party met the 10% threshold of 29 MLAs required for eligibility. He recalled a precedent from the 1980s when the post was rotated among leaders despite reduced numbers in the assembly.
On the discovery of a bundle of ₹500 notes in the Rajya Sabha, allegedly found near Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s seat, Pawar called for an investigation to uncover how the cash reached Parliament.
Highlighting the unexpected election dynamics, Pawar noted, “Congress polled 80 lakh votes and won 15 seats while Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena bagged 79 lakh votes and emerged victorious on 57 seats.”
Ajit Pawar’s NCP received 58 lakh votes and won 41 seats, whereas the NCP (SP) secured 72 lakh votes but managed only 10 seats.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis countered Pawar’s statements, urging him to accept the defeat and guide his party towards introspection. Fadnavis noted on X, “You are a senior leader, at least you should not mislead the people of the country.”
Fadnavis also presented data from the Lok Sabha elections to support his argument, stating that the BJP polled 1.49 crore votes and won nine seats, while Congress garnered 96.4 lakh votes and won 13 seats. He added that the Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 73.7 lakh votes with seven seats, and NCP (SP) polled 58.5 lakh votes, winning eight constituencies.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Congress managed to win just one seat despite polling 87.9 lakh votes, while the undivided NCP secured four seats with 83.8 lakh votes, Fadnavis added.