Lok Sabha polls can be held in December 2023: Sharad Pawar's grandnephew Rohit Pawar

Amid a showdown between Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar for control of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), MLA Rohit Pawar, the grandnephew of the 82-year-old veteran politician claimed that Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections may be held ahead of schedule.

Rohit Pawar said four days ago officials received instructions to begin checking Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) or start manufacturing EVMs. "This shows that Lok Sabha elections may be held in December 2023. Maharashtra Assembly election, which is slated for October 2024, may be held alongside Lok Sabha polls," Rohit Pawar said.

"The checking reports of EVMs are taken 5-6 months before Lok Sabha or state elections and four days ago some Maharashtra officials were instructed to start repairing and manufacturing EVMs. This indicates that Lok Sabha elections can be conducted in December 2023, he said while talking to the reporters.


Rohit Pawar claimed that the main reason behind this move is the loss of the BJP in the Karnataka elections. "The party lost in Karnataka and the same situation can arise in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and other states. The party broke NCP and Shiv Sena by keeping the forthcoming elections in mind," he said.

"This is happening because of BJP's loss in the Karnataka elections as the same can happen in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and other states. BJP tried to break NCP and Shiv Sena keeping in mind the forthcoming elections," Rohit Pawar said.

Meanwhile, the crisis in NCP is escalating with the two factions in Maharashtra calling separate meetings on Wednesday.

NCP suffered a split on Sunday with Ajit Pawar joining the Eknath Shinde-BJP government along with eight other MLAs.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar has moved a disqualification petition against the nine MLAs to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.

Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal along with Dilip Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Mundo, Dharmaraobaba Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Patil joined Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis Maharashtra government on Sunday.