"Not stronghold of any single party" BJP after Sharad Pawar raises concern over voting pc in Markadwadi village

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 8 (ANI): After Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Chandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar raised concern about the voting percentage in the Markadwadi village of Solapur, BJP Maharashtra president Chandrashekhar Bawankule shared details of 2014, 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections saying that the village is not the stronghold of any single party.
Citing voting patterns from past elections. Bawankule, in a post on X, highlighted that Markadwadi village has consistently voted in different patterns in Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
"Sharad Pawar Saheb, the residents of Markadwadi have always supported different political parties. For your information, I am presenting the election data from 2014, 2019, and 2024. Please read it carefully. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Markadwadi village, NCP candidate Vijaysingh Mohite Patil received 533 votes, while Mahayuti alliance candidate Sadabhau Khot received 664 votes. In the same year, in the Assembly elections, NCP's Hanumant Dolas got 294 votes, while independent candidate Anant Khandagale received 979 votes," he said.
"In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Markadwadi village, BJP's Ranjitsinh Nimbalkar received 956 votes, while NCP's Sanjay Shinde got 395 votes. However, in the same year's Assembly elections, NCP's Uttamrao Jankar received 1346 votes, whereas BJP's Ram Satpute got 300 votes. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Markadwadi village, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) candidate Dhairysheel Mohite Patil got 1021 votes, while BJP's Ranjitsinh Nimbalkar received 466 votes. Meanwhile, in the Assembly elections, NCP's Uttamrao Jankar received 843 votes, and BJP's Ram Satpute secured 1003 votes," the BJP leader added.
Bawankule further said that instead of spreading misinformation and blaming the EVMs, the NCP chief should carefully analyze the voting data from Markadwadi.
"These figures clearly show that the residents of Markadwadi have supported the NCP at times, independents at other times, and the BJP on other occasions. Hence, this village is not the stronghold of any single party. This time, the villagers and our dear sisters have rejected you. Therefore, instead of spreading misinformation and blaming the EVMs, carefully analyze the voting data from Markadwadi. This will help you think clearly," he said.
This comes after Sharad Pawar on Sunday expressed concern over the recently concluded Maharashtra assembly elections, saying that "people have doubt over the election process and voters are not feeling confident."
Addressing an "anti-EVM" event at Markadwadi village in Solapur district of the State, the NCP-SCP chief said, "Elections happen. some win some lose...but in the recently concluded election in Maharashtra, people have doubts over the election process and voters are not feeling confident. We go to elections through EVMs. Voters go to vote and come out with confidence but some results have created doubt among people."
Pawar also sought to know why paper ballots were not used as was the practice in many countries, including the United States, England, and several European nations.
"America, England and many European countries are conducting elections on ballots, not on Electronic Voting Machines EVM. When the whole world is holding elections on the ballot, why not us?" Pawar said.
Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance partners have been raising questions about the legitimacy of EVMs after facing a setback in the Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024.
In the election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance secured a landslide by winning 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats.
The Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party also made notable gains, with 57 and 41 seats, respectively.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a major setback with Congress winning just 16 seats. Its alliance partner, Shiv Sena (UBT), won 20 seats, while the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) secured only 10 seats. (ANI)