Sharad Pawar Claims Cash Transfer Plan Influenced Bihar Voters; BJP Responds Strongly

Mumbai Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar has claimed that the BJP-led NDA’s win in the recent Bihar Assembly elections was significantly influenced by a government-supported cash transfer initiative. According to him, the scheme credited ₹10,000 into the bank accounts of women voters just before polling, shaping the outcome. Pawar cautioned that such sizeable financial benefits handed out ahead of elections could erode public trust in democratic institutions. Addressing the media in Baramati, he said feedback from Bihar suggested that the unusually high turnout of women voters was largely driven by the pre-poll deposits. “Women voters took charge of this election. Each of them received ₹10,000 in their accounts, and that appears to have directly affected the result,” Pawar alleged. He compared the situation to Maharashtra’s Ladki Bahin scheme, which provided ₹1,500 to women before the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, and expressed concern over the emerging pattern of governments releasing large sums close to election dates. “If those in power begin contesting elections after distributing money like this, people will lose confidence in the electoral system. ₹10,000 is a substantial amount. Experts and the Election Commission must examine its implications,” he said. Pawar further noted that the practice raises issues of transparency. “When ₹10,000 is disbursed statewide right before elections, it naturally leads to doubts about the fairness of the process,” he added.