BJP may postpone 2024 general election to 2026 citing women’s quota implementation: NCP MLA Rohit Pawar

The Narendra Modi government Tuesday introduced the 128th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2023, dubbed as the ‘Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam’, to bring in 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and all state Legislative Assemblies by extending the quota to the seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The reservation for women, however, will kick in only after the completion of the delimitation exercise based on the first Census conducted after the passage of the Bill.

He said everyone welcomes the women’s reservation Bill, and Maharashtra had sown its seeds by being the first state to give reservation for women in elections to local civic bodies.

The NCP MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed said that the BJP is ending the careers of popular state leaders of other political parties by deliberately making their junior leaders publicly criticise their alliance parties’ leaders.

“Senior leaders of the BJP deliberately put forward their juniors to speak against certain leaders. Their criticism of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is to reduce his importance. We know the BJP very well. It wants to finish the popular public leaders. We were saying the same to Ajit Pawar. They want to reduce the popularity of leaders of other parties. We hope those who joined them will understand it,” said Pawar, the nephew of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and grandnephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

He said Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was doing politics against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and fellow Deputy CM Ajit Pawar by getting BJP leaders to raise issues that would create trouble for the leaders of alliance partners.

“Many of the loyal and committed leaders of the BJP were finished… Think what is going to (happen to) those who joined the BJP or its alliance,” he said

The NCP MLA protested against the decision to get contractual employment in state government, exorbitant examination fees for various state government jobs and demanded powerful laws against paper leaks.

Pawar said if the state government is not opposed now, it will be difficult for the next generation of youths, and their future will be at stake. “The fast is symbolic of protest for the better future of youths. If the state government does not decide on the issues raised, then a statewide protest would be launched next month,” he said.

He added that the state government was spending around Rs 150 crore for the security of 40 legislators, publicity of the ‘Shasan Aplya Daari’ (government at your doorstep) drive and bullet train. He said this money should be used for the betterment of children and youth through education.

He accused the BJP of doing politics on the reservation issue. “The reservation for Maratha, Dhangar or Lingayat can be possible only through Constitution amendment, but the BJP-ruled Centre doesn’t want to do it. BJP leaders only speak in the state but not in Parliament about it. They are merely creating a rift in the society,” the NCP MLA said.

He said there is a drought-like situation in 21 districts of the state, but the government is doing nothing for the public. “Farmers will fail to pay the fee of their kids if the situation worsens. The state government is a `photoshop’ government and is only busy with their publicity. It should declare drought as water tankers are being used in monsoon for drinking water supply,” Pawar said.