Take all responsibility for NCP's performance in Lok Sabha polls: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday took full responsibility for the NCP's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls and asserted the defeat in Baramati, viewed as a prestige battle, was surprising.

The NCP won just one seat (Raigad) while it lost the prestige battle in Baramati, where NCP(SP) sitting MP Supriya Sule retained the constituency, defeating Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting of his party MLAs, Pawar said that all party MLAs were present in the meeting and rejected speculation that some were planning to defect to the faction led by Sharad Pawar.

"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," he said.

Speaking about Baramati, where sitting MP Supriya Sule defeated his wife Sunetra Pawar by a margin of over one lakh votes, the deputy Chief Minister said, "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 me, I am very much shocked. Leave other constituencies but Baramati I did not expect this."

Queried about whether he would once again join hands with NCP founder Sharad Pawar, he tersely said he accepted responsibility for the poll debacle, adding "there is no need to bring family matters in public".

Asserting there would be detailed introspection of the party's poll performance, the NCP president said some of the reasons included Muslims moving away from the ruling alliance, the Opposition's allegations of change in the Constitution, which alienated the Dalits and backward classes, as well as ongoing Maratha quota stir in Marathwada.

"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 while speaking to the media.