Malegaon, November 22, 2025 – Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has ignited a political firestorm with comments made to voters in Malegaon during a campaign rally on Friday. Addressing the electorate ahead of the Malegaon Nagar Panchayat elections scheduled for December 2nd, Pawar asserted, "You have votes, I have funds," promising a steady flow of financial resources if his party's candidates are victorious.
Pawar, who also holds the state's finance portfolio in the BJP-NCP-Shiv Sena government, was campaigning for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for the upcoming local elections. He explicitly urged voters to elect all 18 NCP candidates. "I will ensure there is no shortage of funds if you elect all 18 NCP candidates. If you elect all 18 candidates, I am committed to give whatever I have promised. But if you reject, I will also reject," Pawar stated.
The remarks, interpreted by many as a thinly veiled threat, have drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders. Ambadas Danve, a leader from Shiv Sena (UBT), accused Pawar of "threatening" and "intimidating" voters. Danve questioned the ethics of Pawar's statement, emphasizing that public funds originate from taxpayers, not from any individual politician's personal wealth. "Funds are given from the taxes paid by the common people and not from Ajit Pawar's house," Danve stated, further questioning the Election Commission's inaction in response to Pawar's comments.
The controversy arises in the context of the upcoming Nagar Panchayat polls, where the Pawar-led NCP has allied with a BJP-backed panel. The elections are scheduled to take place on December 2nd. Pawar's statement has been viewed as an attempt to sway voters through a combination of financial promise and potential repercussions.
The deputy chief minister's comments have sparked a wider debate regarding the ethical implications of using financial leverage in political campaigns. Critics argue that such statements undermine the democratic process by creating an environment of coercion and potentially influencing voters based on monetary considerations rather than genuine political conviction. The opposition has called for the Election Commission to investigate the matter and take appropriate action to ensure a free and fair electoral process.
