Did Pawar Really Get an Offer to 'Fix' 160 Assembly Seats?

Nagpur, Aug 9 (NationPress) - NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar stated on Saturday that prior to last year's Maharashtra Assembly elections, two individuals approached him with a "guarantee" to ensure victory in 160 out of the 288 seats in the state.

"I was taken aback. I chose to disregard those two individuals. At that point, I had no doubts regarding the Election Commission. I facilitated their meeting with Rahul Gandhi. Afterward, they conveyed their intentions to Rahul Gandhi. However, both Rahul Gandhi and I agreed not to take them seriously, as this was not our approach. We resolved to engage with the public and seek their mandate during the assembly elections," Pawar recounted.

Pawar shared these insights during a press conference attended by state party leader Shashikant Shinde, former home ministers Anil Deshmukh and Jitendra Awhad, and state general secretary Rohit Pawar, among others.

He asserted that those two individuals had mentioned plans to manipulate votes in 160 constituencies. He emphasized that he chose to disregard these claims and instead sought the direct mandate of the people. Pawar backed Rahul Gandhi’s initiative to address concerns of vote theft and election rigging.

"A comprehensive investigation into the allegations raised by Rahul Gandhi is essential, and we demand answers from the Election Commission, not from the BJP," Pawar stressed.

Awhad supported Pawar’s narrative, confirming that two individuals had approached party chief Sharad Pawar regarding vote manipulation in 160 seats. However, Pawar dismissed their claims, asserting that such actions were impossible.

In contrast, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis outrightly dismissed these claims. He remarked, "I find it perplexing why Pawar Saheb recalled all this only after meeting Rahul Gandhi, and especially after such a long time?"

"Sharad Pawar remained silent for so long, but today he suddenly made this revelation. Just like Rahul Gandhi, who concocts fanciful tales daily, is Pawar Saheb doing the same?" he mocked.

Fadnavis further asserted, "Even if opponents stir confusion, elections in India are conducted freely and fairly. They publicly accuse EVMs and the electoral process, yet when summoned by the Election Commission, they refuse to appear. They are unwilling to submit an affidavit. They claim to have taken an oath in Parliament. But does that oath hold any weight in the Supreme Court or high courts? They are aware that if caught lying, they could face criminal repercussions. Thus, they continue to fabricate stories and evade accountability."