NCP looks to its PMC leader to wrest Parvati seat from BJP

This time as well the Congress leaders in Parvati have urged party leaders to get the seat for itself. City Congress chief Abhay Chhajed and recently elected deputy mayor of PMC, Ulhas Bagul, have been claiming party ticket from Parvati.

In the previous election, the NCP had fielded Sachin Taware in Parvati Assembly segment but he lost to Misal by 18,000 votes. This time around the NCP has decided not to give ticket to the inexperienced leader.

The party has decided on Subhash Jagtap, leader in PMC, to win the seat from BJP. “The party had a year ago urged Jagtap to take on the responsibility of winning the Parvati Assembly seat. Jagtap have been preparing since then,”said a NCP leader.

The probable NCP candidate is popular among slum-dwellers as well as residents of housing societies as he and his wife are corporators in PMC.

Misal is relying on the Modi wave for the Assembly elections despite facing challenge from within the party. BJP corporator Srinath Bhimale has staked claim for party ticket from Parvati Assembly segment saying that the sitting legislator has failed to meet the expectations of the citizens.

“Those opposing Misal will not succeed as the senior party leaders have confidence in her. She has done good work as corporator and legislator,” said a BJP leader.

Misal is the only woman legislator from the city who made it to the state Assembly in previous election. “Her proximity to senior party leaders will see her through in getting party ticket. Denying her ticket would send wrong message to citizens,” he added.