Maharashtra Assembly polls: Police vehicles being used to provide financial aid to candidates of ruling parties, says Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar alleged on Saturday (November 2, 2024) that police vehicles are being used to provide financial assistance to the candidates of the ruling parties in Maharashtra ahead of the Assembly polls.

Addressing reporters at his residence, Govindbag in Baramati, the former Union Minister said he wanted to speak more on the issue publicly but is refraining from doing so as this would hurt the officials who have shared the information with him.

Maharashtra Assembly polls: Diamonds, other jewellery worth ₹24 crore seized from car in Ahilyanagar toll booth

Mr. Pawar's grandnephews and his party's candidates, Yugendra Pawar (Baramati) and Rohit Pawar (Karjat-Jamkhed), were also present at the press conference.

The extended Pawar family meets at Govindbag every year, but this year Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and his family were missing.

Maharashtra mess: rebellions, multi-cornered fights, lack of issues

"We have come to know from many districts, from officials, that candidates from the ruling parties are getting financial assistance for polls and that police vehicles are being used. Officials of the police department have also said that," Mr. Pawar claimed.

The former Union Minister said the peculiarity of the Eknath Shinde-led dispensation is that its leaders send A and B forms through aircraft.

He was referring to the A and B forms, which are mandatory for official candidates of any party after reports emerged that Mr. Shinde sent the A and B forms using aircraft.