Maharashtra polls: Sharad Pawar says NCP to play role of efficient opposition and build good pool of leaders, rules out plan to support Shiv Sena

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar said on Friday that the party will play the role of an “efficient Opposition” and focus on creating a “good pool of leaders” after his party won 54 Assembly seats in the Maharashtra Assembly election.

“Our role is, that people have given us the opportunity to sit in the Opposition and not form the government. We will carry out our work efficiently,” said Pawar.

Asked about the possibility of the NCP supporting the Shiv Sena to form the government, and thus keeping the BJP away from power, Pawar told a news channel, “We want to create a good pool of leaders. I am more concerned about agriculture, industries, and unemployment. We want to focus on public concerns. So we have no interest in other things,” he said.

The results for 288 Assembly constituencies of Maharashtra were declared on Thursday with the BJP securing a total of 105 seats and its alliance partner Shiv Sena, 56 seats.

As per the Election Commission, BJP secured 105 seats, Shiv Sena (56), Congress (44) and the Nationalist Congress Party (54). BJP-Shiv Sena alliance won an absolute majority in the Maharashtra Assembly polls.

In this election, the BJP vociferously raised the issues of national security and development during the polls while the Opposition sought to keep the campaign focused on issues such as “economic slowdown” and “job losses”.

However, the NCP increased its numbers as compared to the 2014 elections despite some prominent leaders leaving the party before the elections. Congress slipped to the fourth position in a state where it was once the dominant player.

NCP MP from Satara Udayanraje Bhosale had quit the party and resigned as a legislator to join the BJP, which fielded him in the subsequent by-election. However, he was worsted by NCP leader Shriniwas Patil who won by over 80,000 votes.

In Parli, NCP’s Dhananjay Munde — Pankaja Munde’s estranged cousin — snatched the seat away from the BJP. “I was not shocked by the Satara result. I was sure of the result. I had no doubt about the outcome in Parli too. I was sure the result will be in favour of Dhananjay Munde,” Pawar said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said after the results came on Thursday that Pawar had no reason to celebrate as the Opposition was not in the position to form the government. Responding to Fadnavis’ comments, Pawar said, “We are not content as we wanted a majority. But we are also not sad, as the big boasts (of the BJP) have not turned out to be true.”

Voters did not like the BJP inducting leaders from Opposition parties into its fold ahead of the elections, Pawar said.

(With inputs from agencies)