NCP leads pledge of honesty chart

Around 120 volunteers and members of over 30 NGOs including Samarth Bharat,Jal Biradari,Wanowrie Resident Forum,Three S Bharat,Sajag Nagrik Manch,Human Development Harmony Foundation,Parivartan,Grahak Panchayat and TAA India are working for the cause.

These representatives have met around 700 candidates with the pledge. Those who signed up include Prashant Jagtap (NCP,Panel 61B),Hitesh Borse (PNS 62B),Sunita Laxman Kattimani (NCP,Panel 25A),Uday Pramod Mahale (NCP,Panel 25B),Prashant Shankarrao Sawant (Congress,Panel 12),Arti Yashwant Kamble (Congress,Panel 12A),Nayana Umesh Wagh (Congress,Panel 11) and Atul Arvind Shitole (NCP,Panel 59B).

Some candidates agreed to sign the pledge immediately,but there were those who ‘ needed time’ to think over their decision. “Interestingly,all those who asked for time have signed it. Most realised that accountability is what citizens expect,” said Ranjit Jatar,one of the key persons who started the movement along with Dr Satish Rajamchikar,Vinod Bodhankar,Anup Awasthi,Susan Raj and Medha Jatar.

Amongst those who signed the pledge is Siddharth Roy from PNS,Panel 9. “The pledge is a combination of what social activists have for long been demanding from the government. The pledge has 12 vows and anyone who signs it is truly committed to the public and the nation,” he said.

Rohini Dhankude of MNS (Panel 9) said she was confident of abiding by all the vows and hence,agreed to sign it.

The group has created a Facebook profile,which has updates on the pledge,candidates who sign it and their photos. Interestingly,the movement has been joined by US-based Anand Sharma,who is helping with weblink updates. The members associated with the the movement plan to announce names of candidates who sign and those who don’t ahead of election day.

The pledge and the voting awareness campaign has been appreciated and signed,among others,by NCP city unit president Vandana Chavan,Vikas Mathkari (BJP),Ujjwal Keskar (Pune Janhit Aaghadi),Vivek Velankar (PNS),Parshuram Wadekar (RPI) and Neelam Gorhe (Shiv Sena).

“Parties like NCP,PJA,Shiv Sena,PNS and RPI signed on behalf of their candidates. BJP signed with one modification in the pledge. Others chose to sign individually and not on behalf of party candidates,” said Jatar.