Don't think this is country's last general election: Pawar

NCP chief Sharad Pawar Thursday said the ongoing Lok Sabha poll is an important one, but he doesn't think that this could be the last general election in India.

Pawar made the remark at Karjat in Ahmednagar Lok Sabha constituency while canvassing for the party candidate Sangram Jagtap.

He was apparently referring to West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee's allegation she made earlier this month that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will throw away the Constitution to make India a totalitarian regime if he is re-elected and the upcoming Lok Sabha election could be the last one in that case.

"This election is an important one. The entire world is watching it...Nehru and Gandhis preserved democracy...Some people (now) have apprehensions that this could be the last election. They are saying so in their speeches, but I don't think so," Pawar said.

The former Union minister made the comment without mentioning the name of any leader.

Pawar further said it is not the leaders, but the people of the country who have strengthened its democracy.

The NCP president noted the people made "apt" use of their voting right, which he said, was given by B R Ambedkar, considered as the chief architect of the Constitution.

The veteran leader said the people of the country come together whenever its democracy is in peril.

The Maratha strongman also said that the NCP was encouraging young leaders to hone them to solve the problems that the nation will face in future.

Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat also addressed the public meeting.

Jagtap is locked in a contest mainly with BJP's Sujay Vikhe Patil in the constituency, which goes to poll in the third phase of the election on April 23.