Political Conspiracy Allegations in Maharashtra Elections

NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad claims the Maharashtra assembly poll results were a conspiracy by the BJP to politically damage Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. The BJP and allies won a significant number of seats, while voter turnout figures raise questions over election integrity.

NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad accused the BJP of orchestrating a 'well-planned conspiracy' to undermine his party chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray in the Maharashtra assembly elections. Awhad, who retained his Mumbra-Kalwa constituency, expressed these concerns during a press conference on Thursday.

Awhad claimed the BJP aimed to distress Pawar, who is nearing 84, and push Thackeray to the political sidelines. The election results saw the BJP and its allies, including Ajit Pawar's NCP and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, capture 230 out of 288 seats in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, the NCP(SP), Congress, and Sena (UBT) secured significantly fewer seats.

Further controversy arose with questions about voter turnout figures. Awhad noted a 7.83% jump after 5 pm on election day, a figure he found suspicious. He challenged the Election Commission to justify the increase, aligning his concerns with those of Congress state chief Nana Patole, who also sought clarity from the ECI.

(With inputs from agencies.)