Actress Swara Bhasker has alleged foul play after her husband Fahad Ahmad, a candidate from NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), lost his maiden Maharashtra Assembly election. Veteran politician Nawab Malik's daughter Sana Malik, a candidate of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), won the election from the seat. It was her debut in the state polls.
Swara alleged that Fahad was leading and suddenly EVMs were opened. "In Anushakti Nagar vidhaan sabha after a steady lead by Fahad Ahmad of NCP-SP...Round 17, 18, 19 suddenly 99% battery charger EVMs are opened and the BJP-supported NCP-Ajit Pawar candidate takes the lead. How can machines that have been voted on ALL day long have 99% charged batteries? Why do all 99% charged batteries give votes to BJP and its allies?" she asked on X.
Ahmad too alleged manipulation in the poll result, saying in an X post addressed to the Election Commission that "I am coming after you”. "This is rank manipulation. We demand a recount of rounds 16, 17, 18 and 19,” he added. “I was leading till 17th round, dilemma of 99% battery of CU (control unit) is still need to resolve (sic)".
Fahad Ahmad is a former member of the SP who joined the NCP (SCP) in October. An Aligarh Muslim University alum, Ahmad has been an active student politician and participated in the anti-CAA agitation, The Times of India reported.