Sun Nov 24 15:06:16 UTC 2024: ## Pawar Blames “Yogi Slogans” and “Ladki Bahin Yojana” for NCP’s Crushing Defeat in Maharashtra Assembly Elections

**Mumbai, November 24, 2024** – Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar attributed his party’s devastating loss in the Maharashtra Assembly elections to the BJP’s “Ladki Bahin Yojana” campaign and inflammatory slogans used by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The NCP secured only 10 out of 87 contested seats, a stark contrast to its 80% strike rate in the May Lok Sabha elections.

In his first public comments on the election results, Pawar described the outcome as unexpected. He specifically pointed to Adityanath’s “Batenge toh katenge” (We will cut if you attack) slogan as a factor that polarized voters. He also cited the BJP’s campaign suggesting the discontinuation of the “Ladki Bahin Yojana” (daughter-sister scheme) if the BJP wasn’t elected as another contributing factor to the NCP’s poor performance.

The elections also marked the first direct contest between Sharad Pawar’s NCP and the faction led by his nephew, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, which won 41 seats. Pawar acknowledged the possibility of increased female voter turnout contributing to the overall results. He expressed his respect for the people’s verdict and pledged to analyze the results, particularly in Maratha-OBC constituencies.

Despite the significant defeat, Pawar defended his party’s decision to field Yugendra Pawar against Ajit Pawar in Baramati, stating that not doing so would have sent a different message. He declined to comment on the possibility of his retirement, stating that the decision rested with him and his colleagues. He also refrained from speculating on EVM malfunction without concrete evidence.

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