As Ajit steps down,confusion rules Pune NCP

Corporators led by city unit chief of the party Vandana Chavan and Mayor Vaishali Bankar rushed to Mumbai Tuesday evening to meet Pawar but returned without meeting him as he was tied up handling developments that followed his resignation. They rushed to Mumbai again on Wednesday and met him early in the morning.

House leader in the PMC Subhash Jagtap,PMC Standing Committee chairman Baburao Chandere,PMPML director Prashant Jagtap and other corporators,including Shivlal Bhosale,met Pawar.

“There is unrest in the city unit and PMC officebearers. There was no other way but meet him personally and get things cleared,” said Bankar.

With resignations being offered by legislators and civic body officebearers across the state in support of Pawar,the Mayor said Pawar had told them to not resign. “He urged us to carry on with our responsibilities,” she said.

He did enquire about activities taking place in the PMC but there was no direction on whom to approach in the state government in his absence for follow-up of civic proposals and projects pending with the state government,she said.

“We will meet him later and seek a direction on whom to report on issues related to the city as there will be a new guardian minister if he refuses to revoke his resignation,” said ex-mayor Mohansingh Rajpal,who also met Pawar.

Pawar’s resignation caused ripples in the NCP Pune unit more than any other unit in the state as the NCP leader had full control over party affairs and development activities in the city. Rajpal said. “Pawar was deeply involved in development activities of Pune and was responsible for the ongoing makeover of Pimpri-Chinchwad. He took up all development works at the state level and took the initiative of resolving hurdles in project implementation.”

NCP growth in Pune and the party retaining power in PCMC,PMC and Pune Zilla Parishad are attributed to Pawar. He had boosted the NCP performance in the traditional Congress bastion.

NCP legislators from Pune Anil Bhosale,Jaideo Gaikwad and Bapu Pathare were in Mumbai urging Pawar to withdraw his resignation. They have offered to resign. Member of PMC Education Board Laxmikant Khabiya,too,offered to resign.