Kalmadi,Ajit feud again

Not to be outdone,the NCP on Sunday hit back. “The NCP has repeatedly cleared its stand on the alliance with the saffron parties in the PMC. We had urged the Congress to first snap ties with saffron parties in other local civic bodies,but had not done so,” city NCP spokesperson Ankush Kakade said in a press statement.

Kakade also advised Chhajed,who had also made sarcastic remarks against Ajit who is the District Guardian Minister,to look into his own backyard first. “In the Lok Sabha polls,BJP’s Anil Shirole took a lead of 324 votes in the ward represented by Chhajed. He chief should have taken moral responsibility and resigned from his post instead of making statements against Ajit Pawar.”

The image of Chhajed will improve if he pays more attention to his own ward,Kakade added.

He said the decision on alliance between the Congress and the NCP will be taken by the high command of both the parties. “Therefore,the city Congress leaders should concentrate more on strengthening their position and improving the image of the party that is getting maligned.”

In another statement,NCP students’ cell spokesperson Chandan Sondkear said the city Congress chief was trying to create confusion among voters by raking up the NCP’s alliance in the PMC. “The Congress should not forget that they were rejected by the voters in the PMC elections in 2007 and it was only due to the Congress’ stand that NCP had to join hands with the Shiv Sena and the BJP,” Sondekar said. Kalmadi,soon after he was reelected MP,had announced that the city Congress will contest the Assembly polls separately if the NCP did not break the alliance with the saffron parties in the PMC. In a sarcastic remark,Kalmadi had also said that he was grateful to Ajit for not taking part in his election campaign. “The NCP lost wherever campaigned. I am fortunate he didn’t campaign for me.” Ajit had responded saying though he did not campaign for the Congress because of his differences with Kalmadi,he had never worked for the defeat of Kalmadi.

Speaking of the alliance,Ajit said that the chiefs of both the parties,and not the local leaders,would be the ones to decide.