NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the assembly elections will decide Maharashtra's future and appealed to people in the state to exercise their franchise.

Talking to reporters in Baramati town of Pune district after casting his vote, Pawar said all the electors should exercise their right to vote.

"This election is extremely important. It will decide the future of Maharashtra. I appeal to all citizens to come out and vote," he said.

"It is not good that the voter percentage in Maharashtra is less than smaller states in the north east," the former Union minister said.

Notably, the BJP on Tuesday played purported voice notes of Patole and Sule to allege attempts to encash Bitcoins to influence the state elections, claiming it poses a serious question on the conduct of polls in a free and fair manner.

BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed the development has "unmasked" the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Sule has refuted the allegations.

Pawar also said BJP's allegations against his daughter and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule and Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole are not worth taking note of.

"The person making the allegations was in jail. It shows how low the BJP stoops," the former state chief minister said.

To a question on his assessment of the poll outcome, Sharad Pawar said the MVA should get majority.

The MVA comprises the NCP (SP), Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) of Uddhav Thackeray.

State NCP (SP) chief Jayant Patil said the assembly polls were crucial for farmers, youth and women.

"Maharashtra shows the path to the entire country. We have to protect this dharma. I appeal to the people to vote in this important and decisive election," he said. PTI MR GK

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