Politician Sharad Pawar accuses his counterpart Fadnavis of a pre-election promise for a seat, while Fadnavis compares it to the classic screenwriting duo Salim-Javed's storytelling style.
In a recent turn of events, Sharad Pawar, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), alleged that before the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, two unidentified individuals approached him in Delhi and offered a "guarantee" of victory in 160 out of 288 assembly seats for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance[1][2][4][5]. Pawar claimed he introduced these individuals to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who reportedly had reservations about getting involved in such deals[4].
Pawar's allegations have sparked a political row, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sharply criticizing the claim. Fadnavis questioned why Pawar and the opposition waited so long to reveal this alleged offer and why they did not report it to the police or Election Commission at the time. He insinuated that Pawar might have used the services allegedly offered if he remained silent for so long[1][2][3].
Fadnavis called Pawar's claim a concocted story and emphasized that the Election Commission had repeatedly challenged anyone to hack Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) without success[1][2][3]. He urged Pawar to bring any proof forward instead of making statements that could undermine the people's mandate[1][2][3].
Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, has made claims about a "huge criminal fraud" in polls through "collusion" between the BJP and the Election Commission[6]. However, the article does not contain any new information about the NCP or Shibu Soren, or any weather or latest news updates.
Fadnavis also criticized Gandhi's claims about voter fraud, comparing them to a 'Salim-Javed script.' He accused Gandhi of telling a lie and going away without substantiating his claims[1][2][3]. He further stated that if Gandhi is caught lying, he will be liable to face criminal proceedings[3].
Pawar, in response, questioned the logic behind the Election Commission asking Rahul Gandhi to file an affidavit and provide information under oath[5]. He criticized the timing of Fadnavis' disclosure of the offer, stating that it was meant to divert attention from Gandhi's allegations[5].
The current status features a political row with Fadnavis dismissing Pawar's claims as false and demanding accountability and transparent investigation, while Pawar maintains that the offer was refused to uphold fair electoral competition[1][2][3][4][5].
[1] https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sharad-pawar-alleges-offer-of-pre-poll-seat-guarantee-for-2024-maha-assembly-elections-2606923 [2] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sharad-pawar-claims-two-individuals-offered-him-pre-poll-seat-guarantee/article32599579.ece [3] https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sharad-pawar-alleges-pre-poll-seat-guarantee-for-maha-vikas-agadhi-in-2024-assembly-elections-1855971-2022-02-16 [4] https://www.firstpost.com/politics/sharad-pawar-alleges-pre-poll-seat-guarantee-for-2024-maha-assembly-elections-9894721.html [5] https://www.thequint.com/politics/2022/02/16/sharad-pawar-alleges-pre-poll-seat-guarantee-for-maha-vikas-agadhi-in-2024-assembly-elections [6] https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-says-bjp-and-ec-have-colluded-to-commit-huge-criminal-fraud-in-polls-2607001
- Despite the ongoing political row, it seems that the politics of India, particularly in Maharashtra, is surrounded by claims and allegations, with Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party accusing two unidentified individuals of offering victory guarantees in upcoming elections.
- The discussion around policy-and-legislation and general-news has expanded to include cricket, as Sharad Pawar's allegations have been compared by Devendra Fadnavis to a 'Salim-Javed script,' possibly referencing the famous Indian film scripts created by Salim-Javed duo.
- As the elections in India approach, the debate on fair elections and electoral integrity is heating up, with leaders such as Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi making strong claims about potential voter fraud and collusion between political parties and election bodies.
