Pawar forces NCP men into alliance campaign

Pawar held a public rally for Kalmadi in the city on Saturday. The turnout was not impressive and Pawar conducted a meeting of party workers,where he reportedly scolded them for not joiningKalmadi’s campaign. “If you don’t want to participate,submit your resignations to me,” he said. “If party workers don’t want to campaign for Kalmadi,I will personally do so.”

Pawar even threatened to withdraw from Madha if the need arises and go to each and every house in Pune for Suresh Kalmadi. NCP workers were taken aback and promised to work for Kalmadi.

The effect was evident at Sunday’s campaign as NCP city unit office-bearers participated in Kalmadi’s rallies. Among them were NCP city unit executive president Anil Bhosale,standing committee chairman Nilesh Nikam and students’ cell president Pradeep Deshmukh.

Pawar has constituted an eight-member committee of NCP members that will coordinate with the Congress for arranging joint campaigns in Pune. Corporator Subhash Jagtap,who is part of the committee,said it met city Congress leaders in the morning. “We have chalked out a campaign plan,” he said.

Abhay Chhajed,Congress city unit chief,confirmed that leaders of the city units of the two parties met on Sunday. “There are no hard feelings between the parties. It was evident when senior NCP leaders like Anil Bhosale and Nilesh Nikam participated in a rally in Janawadi and Gokhalenagar in the morning. We will coordinate with each other for future campaigns too,” he said.

However,NCP workers in the city still look confused. “They are still in a dilemma as Pawar went to the extent of threatening to withdraw from Madha if workers stayed away from Kalmadi’s campaign. Kalmadi has not behaved well with Sharad and Ajit Pawar in the past. The workers are asking how they can support such a candidate,” said an NCP leader.

Patch-up

Kalmadi agrees to bury hatchet with Ajit Pawar

In a joint meeting of NCP and Congress city leaders on Sunday,the NCP leaders demanded the inclusion of Ajit Pawar’s photographs in their campaign. Congress candidate Suresh Kalmadi reportedly agreed to the demand. According to a leader who was present at the meeting,Kalmadi even agreed to call Ajit Pawar and request him to participate in the campaign. The assurance assumes significance amid the rift between Ajit Pawar and Kalmadi. Ajit Pawar was not present for any of the rallies conducted by Sharad Pawar for Kalmadi in the city.