Parties fight over Zagade

Chavan had said on Saturday that Zagade was shunted out as he had not supported the plans charted out by NCP for development of the city.

Even some leaders of the Congress,its ally in the PMC,criticised the NCP over the matter.

Several parties asked the NCP as well as Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to clarify whether a civic chief belonged to one political party or was supposed to represent the civic body as a whole.

“Zagade was not a worker of the NCP,he was municipal commissioner,” said Independent corporator Ujjwal Keskar. Keskar said he would launch a campaign to bring Zagade back and opposition parties are likely to meet on Monday over the matter. “I am sure opposition corporators will agree to my proposal.”

Keskar said that the NCP believed a municipal commissioner is supposed to implement plans and policies. “This is wrong. A civic chief is supposed to implement a budget for the city and not follow a party’s agenda”

Leaders of the Shiv Sena and the BJP said that the NCP had set a bad precedent. “Zagade had issued a notice to a controversial firm and had taken action against builders and illegal constructions. For doing good work,NCP transferred Zagade. This only shows NCP in poor light,” they said.

Shiv Sena leader Shyam Deshpande on Sunday released a questionnaire seeking answers to various issues. “NCP owes an explanation on several issues including the pending DP for 23 merged villages,delay in implementation of the new DP for the city and importantly its opposition to the inquiry commission appointed by Zagade against illegal constructions on nullahs,advocating reduction in fines for illegal constructions,which could have netted crores for the PMC,” he said.

Following Chavan’s remarks,BJP city chief Vikas Mathkari targeted Deputy Chief Minister and district guardian minister Ajit Pawar,who had been saying that neither he nor the NCP had any role in Zagade’s transfer. “Ajit Pawar had repeatedly claimed that he had no role. The cat is out of the bag. If Zagade was so bad,why did it take two years for NCP to wake up?”

The parties have also asked NCP whether the mayor will return the Nagar Ratna Award the PMC received for good work done under JNNURM,during Zagade’s tenure.