26 April,2024 03:38 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
Ajit Pawar/ X
The returning officer for the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra has submitted a report declaring that there is no preliminary evidence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar breaking the Model Code of Conduct with his "funds for votes" comment.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar filed a complaint against Ajit Pawar with the Election Commission of India, citing violations of the Model Code of Conduct and the Representation of the People Act, reported PTI.
According to the report, during a rally amid Lok Sabha Elections 2024 in Baramati constituency's Indapur, Ajit Pawar remarked, "As far as funds are concerned, we will cooperate to give you as much as you want, but at the same time, the EVM button needs to be pressed in abundance. If the EVM button is pressed in abundance, I will also feel good allocating funds, or else, I will have to restrict myself."
Pawar, who holds the finance responsibility in the state government, was criticised by the opposition, forcing the NCP to file a complaint with the EC, the report added.
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According to the report, Kavita Dwivedi, the returning officer, indicated that she would launch an investigation after receiving the allegation and requested a response from Ajit Pawar. Dwivedi's subsequent report to the Chief Election Officer found no violation of the Model Code of Conduct based on the video footage.
Dwivedi stated that Pawar's words did not name a specific candidate for whom votes were being solicited. She explained that Pawar's reference to "our machine" was generic and not directed at any one candidate or party, the PTI report added.
"The remarks in the video do not mention the name of a particular candidate for whom votes have been sought. He is heard saying that press the buttons of 'our' machine so that he can allocate the funds. Here the word machine is universal and he is not talking about a particular candidate or his candidate or party," said Dwivedi.
Pune Collector Suhas Diwase, also the District Election Officer, speaking to PTI said that the returning officer's report found no violations of the Model Code of Conduct. The report was given to the Chief Election Officer two days before.
Per the PTI report, Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar's wife and an NCP candidate, will run against her sister-in-law, sitting MP Supriya Sule, in the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency.
While the NCP supports the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, the NCP (SP) is a member of the opposition coalition Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes the Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), the report added.
