3 min readPuneJan 9, 2026 12:16 AM IST
First published on: Jan 9, 2026 at 12:16 AM IST
After NCP chief and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar countered BJP for taking credit for the Pune Metro, Congress leader and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Friday reiterated that it was the Congress-led government at the state and the Centre that approved the Metro project.
“It is true that the Metro in Pune was approved by the state government when I was the Chief Minister and the Congress government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,” said Chavan after unveiling the manifesto of Congress for Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections.
On Wednesday, Pawar had countered BJP’s credit for the Pune Metro saying it was the Union government led by Prime Minister Manomhan Singh that approved the project.
BJP leader and Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol said the Congress and the NCP were trying to take credit for Pune Metro, which they could not implement. “The Pune Metro was given in principle approval by the Union government in 2013 while urging to resolve some issues concerning the project, which the Congress government in state failed to do. It was during Congress’s rule that the Pune Metro got stuck while it got the final go-ahead in 2016 after the BJP came to power,” he said.
Chavan said the Congress had given a facelift to Pune through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme and enabled widening of roads. “Only the Congress has the vision and the experience of developing Pune. It can resolve civic issues of the city,” said Chavan adding the Pune is currently reeling under air and water pollution due to failure of those ruling in the PMC from the last few years.
All the three alliance partners of the Mahayuti are merely busy accumulating monetary gains through corrupt practices, alleged Chavan.
“The BJP announced that it would develop Pune as a smart city but where has that happened after spending so much money,” said Chavan.
The former Chief Minister said industries flourished in Pune during Congress rule but are moving out now due to traffic issues that have become a serious problem in the city.
“Pune naturally has a good opportunity for industry to flourish but collapse of civic infrastructure and the corruption have prevented industries from flourishing here and instead go to other states,” said Chavan.
Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan 
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