Amid Rahul's 'vote theft' claim, Sharad Pawar says he was offered 160-seat win by duo ahead of Maharashtra polls

Addressing the media in Nagpur, Pawar said he introduced the duo to the leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi.

Mumbai: NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Saturday dropped a bombshell by claiming that two individuals had met him in New Delhi before the 2024 Vidhan Sabha elections of Maharashtra and “guaranteed” the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi’s victory in 160 of 288 constituencies.

Pawar’s statement created a sensation in political circles as it comes just days after Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's charge of ‘vote chori’ giving specific examples from Maharashtra and Karnataka.

“Two people met me in New Delhi before the 2024 Assembly polls in Maharashtra. They offered to help the opposition (Maha Vikas Aghadi) win 160 of the 288 seats with a guarantee,” Pawar, a four-time chief minister and three-time union minister, said.

However, Pawar went on to add that he introduced them to Rahul Gandhi. “He ignored what was told to him. He was also of the view that we (Opposition) shouldn’t get involved in such things and go to the people directly,” he added.

Talking to reporters in Nagpur, Pawar claimed that since he did not assign any importance to claims made by the two individuals, he did not possess their names and contact details.

In fact after the humiliating defeat in the Assembly polls, the MVA attributed it to discrepancies in EVMs and electoral rolls and fudging of data.

Pawar also demanded that the charges made by Rahul Gandhi must be probed.

"Rahul Gandhi's presentation on vote theft was well-researched and well-documented. A detailed inquiry is needed into the concerns raised by him to clear doubts (about the integrity of the electoral process) among people. 'doodh ka doodh aur paani ka paani hona chaiye'. I feel the inquiry will bring out the truth," Pawar said.

Pawar said that since the Election Commission is an independent body, it shouldn't ask for a separate declaration from Rahul Gandhi. "Gandhi had also said this in Parliament. It is not proper for the Election Commission to ask for an oath (declaration) from him," he said.

Why Pawar remembered it now: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis squarely dismissed the allegations. “I wonder why Pawar Saheb remembered it now after so many days (of elections) and that too after meeting Rahul Gandhi,” he remarked, adding that Rahul Gandhi is doing a ‘script work job’ like Salim-Javed.

“Every day he is coming out with new stories. “Hope the same has not happened to Pawar Saheb…all these years when Rahul Gandhi had been speaking about EVMs, Pawar Saheb had kept quiet…in fact many a times, he had said that it is not proper to blame EVMs,” he said, adding that no where in the world there is free and fair elections like India. “Whenever they are called by the Election Commission, they don’t go,” he said.

Aaditya Thackeray backs Pawar

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLC Aaditya Thackeray backed Pawar saying that he is one of the senior most leader of the country. "There is an experience that the Election Commission office functions as a BJP office," he said.