Take all responsibility for NCP's performance, shocked with Baramati results: Aijt Pawar

Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo, on Thursday took full responsibility for his party's dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections. The NCP won only one of the four seats it contested-- Raigad.

He also said that all party MLAs were present in the meeting held at his official residence. Furthermore, Pawar categorically dismissed reports suggesting some of them were planning to go back to the Sharad Pawar camp.

Media reports suggesting that around 15 MLAs of the Ajit Pawar camp are in touch with Sharad Pawar and are likely to get back to NCP (SP) started doing the rounds on Thursday ahead of the meeting at Ajit Pawar's official residence. 

"We did not reach the expected results. We are not happy with the results in Maharashtra. I feel it is my responsibility of the result. I have to accept the public result. I take the entire responsibility for the result. All MLAs are with us," Pawar said. 

He further said at a press conference that the party's defeat in Baramati, which was viewed as a prestige Pawar vs Pawar battle, was baffling. The party lost the prestige battle in Baramati, where sitting MP Supriya Sule retained the constituency. Sule defeated Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar by a margin of over 1.58 lakh votes. 

"The results of Baramati, I am very shocked and I don't understand such results of Baramati. How people of Baramati did not give support to me, I am very much shocked. Leave other constituencies but Baramati I did not expect this," he said. 

When asked whether he would once again join hands with NCP founder Sharad Pawar, he said he accepted responsibility for the poll debacle, while adding "there is no need to bring family matters in public." He further noted that thee will be a detailed introspection of the party's performance in Lok Sabha elections. 

Ajit Pawar, however, acknowledged that some reasons behind the poll debacle included Muslims moving away from the ruling alliance, ongoing Maratha quota stir in Maharashtra, and Opposition's allegations of change in the Constitution, which alienated the Dalits and backward classes. 

"Muslims went away from us, the narrative of changing the Constitution was there and we could not counter it... Leaving Sambhajinagar, we, Mahayuti, did not get a single seat in Marathwada. We will have to take a strong decision in future," he said.