NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday accused Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his BJP colleagues of trying to give a religious colour to the upcoming assembly polls by raking up “vote jihad”.

Speaking to reporters in Pune, the 83-year-old politician left it to the people to respond to Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar over his remarks that he would be in the next line of leadership after the senior Pawar.

Referring to a purported appeal by an Islamic scholar for “vote-Jihad” against the BJP-led Mahayuti government, Fadnavis had on Friday called for a “dharma-yudh of votes” to counter it.

Asked about Fadnavis’s appeal to voters, Pawar said it was the BJP leader who had brought up “vote jihad”, referring to minorities favouring the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in a few constituencies during the Lok Sabha elections.

“If in one area of Pune where Hindus are in the majority and they vote for the BJP, it is common knowledge that this outcome was expected. That does not mean it is ‘vote jihad’.

“By raking up ‘vote jihad’, Fadnavis and his colleagues are trying to give a religious colour to this election. We are completely against it,” he said.

During a rally on Friday at Khadakwasla in Pune ahead of the November 20 assembly polls, Fadnavis played a video by Islamic scholar Sajjad Nomani and claimed that the slogan of “vote-Jihad” was raised.

If ‘vote jihad’ is going to happen, the deputy CM said, “we will also have to fight a ‘dharma-yudh of votes’”.

When asked about Ajit Pawar’s remark that the people of Baramati should remember who will be their leader after the senior Pawar, in an attempt to project himself in the position, the octogenarian said the public will make the final decision.

Baramati in Pune district is the home turf of the Pawar clan and is now seeing a bitter contest between sitting MLA and NCP chief Ajit Pawar and his nephew Yugendra Pawar, nominated by Sharad Pawar’s party.

In the Lok Sabha polls, Shard Pawar’s daughter and sitting MP Supriya Sule defeated Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar in another intra-family battle.

Responding to Ajit Pawar’s claim that Sharad Pawar’s wife Pratibha was not seen in poll campaigns in the past but is now canvassing for Yugendra Pawar, the NCP (SP) chief said she had done so on multiple occasions.

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