There will be change, says NCP chief Pawar

NCP supremo says BJP-Sena betrayed people

Mumbai, Oct. 21: Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar expressed confidence on Monday that there will be a change of guard in Maharashtra after the Assembly elections.

Voting for the 288 Assembly seats in the state began at 7 am on Monday.

The BJP-Shiv Sena combine, which ousted the Congress and NCP from power in 2014, is seeking a second term this time. Pawar, his grand-daughter Revati Sule and son-in-law Sadanand Sule voted at a polling booth in south Mumbai in the morning.

“Youngsters want change. The BJP and Shiv Sena ruled the state and people hoped their expectations would be fulfilled. That trust, however, has been betrayed,” Mr Pawar told reporters afterwards.

Maharashtra lagged behind in sectors such as agriculture and industries, and there were job losses too, the former Union minister claimed.

“All this has created restlessness among people...I got good response across the state (during the campaigning). I do not have any doubt that there will be a change,” he said. Election results will be out on October 24.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil ridiculed Mr Pawar’s statement that it would not be an easy win for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance as the situation in the state had changed in the last few days.

“Since the 2014 elections, people’s faith in politics

and politicians has increased. The reason for that is the transparent government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.

“Body language of voters shows that the BJPShiv Sena alliance would achieve a huge victory,” Mr Patil added.

— PTI Voters display their identity cards as they wait in a queue to cast their votes for the Maharashtra Assembly polls in Sangli on Monday.