'Dangerous precedent': Sharad Pawar warns of threat to election credibility after NDA's massive victory in Bihar polls
PUNE: Reacting to the NDA's landslide victory in Bihar, NCP (SP) Chief Sharad Pawar said that political parties in govt announcing schemes of transferring money to people and going into polls to win elections will set a wrong precedent, and there is a danger of people losing faith in the entire election process.
Pawar also said that ahead of the upcoming parliament session, the INDIA bloc will have to sit together to discuss the issue in detail. "We cannot turn a blind eye towards the precedent being set by govt of distributing money through govt treasury. The opposition parties will have to sit together and brainstorm on it when we meet during the upcoming parliament session in New Delhi," Pawar said while interacting with the media in his hometown of Baramati.
The NDA, headed by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and supported by BJP and others, recorded a thumping victory by winning 202 out of a total of 243 seats, while the opposition's Grand Alliance was reduced to 35 seats. One of the key members of the opposition's INDIA bloc, Sharad Pawar, attributed the victory of NDA in Bihar largely to the scheme announced by the govt of transferring Rs 10,000 under Mahila Rojgar Yojna and called it a dangerous precedent being set by parties in govt.
"Before Bihar, a similar scheme of 'Ladki Bahin' was announced by the Mahayuti govt before the elections in Maharashtra. If Rs 10,000 are being transferred from govt treasury to 50 percent voters, that is women voters, it means taking the election system on a corrupt path. Henceforth, the parties in the govt will keep on taking decisions of transferring money before elections to win them. If it keeps happening, there is a danger of people losing faith in the election process," the former union agriculture minister said.
Pawar also said that doubts are being created in the minds of common people against the Election Commission of India. He said, "It is everyone's responsibility to keep the respect of the constitutional bodies, but even institutions like ECI need to ensure that its respect is maintained. People have started doubting its credibility, which is not a good sign."
Pawar also said that ahead of the upcoming parliament session, the INDIA bloc will have to sit together to discuss the issue in detail. "We cannot turn a blind eye towards the precedent being set by govt of distributing money through govt treasury. The opposition parties will have to sit together and brainstorm on it when we meet during the upcoming parliament session in New Delhi," Pawar said while interacting with the media in his hometown of Baramati.
The NDA, headed by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and supported by BJP and others, recorded a thumping victory by winning 202 out of a total of 243 seats, while the opposition's Grand Alliance was reduced to 35 seats. One of the key members of the opposition's INDIA bloc, Sharad Pawar, attributed the victory of NDA in Bihar largely to the scheme announced by the govt of transferring Rs 10,000 under Mahila Rojgar Yojna and called it a dangerous precedent being set by parties in govt.
"Before Bihar, a similar scheme of 'Ladki Bahin' was announced by the Mahayuti govt before the elections in Maharashtra. If Rs 10,000 are being transferred from govt treasury to 50 percent voters, that is women voters, it means taking the election system on a corrupt path. Henceforth, the parties in the govt will keep on taking decisions of transferring money before elections to win them. If it keeps happening, there is a danger of people losing faith in the election process," the former union agriculture minister said.
Pawar also said that doubts are being created in the minds of common people against the Election Commission of India. He said, "It is everyone's responsibility to keep the respect of the constitutional bodies, but even institutions like ECI need to ensure that its respect is maintained. People have started doubting its credibility, which is not a good sign."
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