"Devendra Fadnavis and associates trying to create discord by using word of Vote Jihad": NCP-SP Chief Sharad Pawar

Addressing the media, Pawar said "Devendra Fadnavis and his associates are trying to create religious discord by using the word Vote Jihad. Farmers are committing suicide, prices of soybean and cotton are continuously falling, farmers are angry. Educational institutions are increasing, youth are getting educated but they do not have jobs. There are so many other such questions in Maharashtra."

Further, Pawar said that because Fadnavis and party faced defeat in the Lok Sabha, they took cognizance of the defeat.

"It seems that the people of the state want change. They have faced defeat in the Lok Sabha, hence they are taking cognizance of the defeat in the Lok Sabha," he added.

Pawar also said that even though the party was trying to bring in more schemes to make people happier and Rs 1500 was being given to the women, a lot of difference wouldn't occur.

"Schemes are being made to make people as happy as possible and one of them is Ladli Behan Yojana. Rs 1500 is being given every month to make women happy, it will make a little difference but I don't think it will make much of a difference," Pawar said.

Earlier, Fadnavis had accused the opposition of doing "vote jihad" and urged voters to counter it with a "dharmyuddh" of votes.

"Vote jihad is going on in the state. Sajjad Nomani says...Vote jihad slogan has been given and you heard in the video that who is the leader of this vote jihad. I want to tell you all that if they do vote jihad, we have to do 'dharmyuddh' of vote. Ek hain to safe hain," he said.

The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with votes for all 288 constituencies to be counted on November 23.

The opposition MVA coalition, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP), seeks to reclaim power in the state, challenging the Mahayuti alliance, which includes Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and Congress 42.(ANI)