Ajit Pawar defends 'vote for funds' comment, says he does not ‘owe debt to anybody’

MAharashtra surrogate chief government minister Ajit Pawar on mon attempted to defuse unfavorable judgment o'er his recent “vote for funds” remark, insisting that long-standing allegations against him have never translated into any wrongdoing.Speaking at a campaign event in Jintur, Parbhani district, ahead of the December 2 municipal polls, the NCP leader said he was aware of the heavy media focus on his statements and that even minor issues are swiftly attributed to him, according to a report by news agency PTI.ALSO READ | Fadnavis calls Ajit Pawar’s ‘vote-for-funds’ comment a routine poll rhetoricPawar said he is mindful of the Model Code of Conduct and accepted that those handling public responsibilities may occasionally slip.Last week, while canvassing for the Malegaon Nagar Panchayat election in Baramati tehsil, he told voters that development funds would flow smoothly if his party won, but that he would “not look their way” if they chose otherwise. The comment triggered sharp reactions from the Opposition, who accused him of threatening voters and demanded an apology.ALSO READ | Ajit Pawar defends ‘you have votes, I have funds' remark amid row: ‘These are said only during elections’Responding to the backlash on Monday, Pawar said, “The media is watching me and monitoring my words about the funds. If anything happens, they now immediately remember Ajit Pawar. I fully understand that the Model Code of Conduct must not be breached. It is true that one who works may make errors. However, I want to remind you that I have faced numerous allegations over the past 35 years, but I know that I do not owe any debt to anybody.”Ahead of the Jintur Municipal Council polls, the deputy CM reiterated his focus on development and assured that rehabilitation measures would be arranged for people affected by development work.ALSO READ | Ajit Pawar under fire for ‘no vote, no funds’ remark in MalegaonPawar also used the occasion to urge the Election Commission to act even-handedly. He claimed that certain activities by private groups were going unchecked, despite the Model Code being in force, said the report.“Some people from an organisation are visiting voters' homes and asking about their family members, work, and residences. Election Commission officials do not seem to notice that people from a private organisation are approaching citizens in this manner while the Model Code of Conduct is in effect. Law should be the same for everyone, and everyone should be treated equally,” he said.Highlighting state and central welfare schemes, Pawar said the region should fully benefit from them, stressing that these programmes should not exist only on paper.(With inputs from PTI)