PCMC’s ‘double trouble’ back after handsome victories

Sulbha Ubale,who was elected for the third time from Yamunanagar ward and Seema Savle,who was elected for the second time from a new ward,belong to the Shiv Sena. While Ubale was elected with a big margin of 2,300 votes,Seema Savle trounced her rivals by 800 votes. Ubale belongs to Sena MP Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil camp while Savle owes allegiance to Sena MP Gajanan Babar’s camp.

In Yamunanagar,it was believed that Ubale would have a tough time overcoming the challenge posed by NCP’s sitting corporator Shashikiran Gawli. However,it was a no-contest as Ubale romped home with ease,thereby proving her popularity on her home turf. “I sought votes on the development work that I carried out in my area in the last five years,” says Uable,wife of Rambhau Ubale,a Sena leader in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

On the other hand,Savle created history on the PCMC poll terrain. She has become the first backward class candidate to win from a general category women’s ward. She defeated NCP candidate and former corporator,Sukhdevi Natekar,a tough opponent,from Mahatma Phule Nagar ward,which is dominated by slums. “My contacts and my aggressive nature of pushing development works has gone down well with the people,” says Savle,wife of Sena’s youth leader Sarang Kamtekar.

“The NCP as well as the PCMC administration have reasons to worry as both fight hard for public issues and against corruption,” says Maruti Bhapkar,who was one among the handful of corporators who repeatedly created a ruckus in the civic general body meetings for public cause. Bhapkar was defeated in Kalbhornagar ward.

On several occasions,both Ubale and Savle,through their powerful oratory skills,took on NCP office-bearers and corporators in the civic general body meetings and outside it. Savle,especially through RTI applications,had ‘exposed’ PCMC functioning. Be it irregularities in SRA scheme,goof-up in floodline marking,changing of reservation,allotment of TDRs and I to R conversion,Savle had been chasing the issues through her past tenure. “I will pursue these issues in my next tenure as well and take them to their logical conclusion,” says Savle,who is also fighting a legal battle against PCMC administration in the high court.

Ubale says she would continue to ‘catch the civic administration on the wrong foot’ and highlight the issues. “I will do everything possible to ensure that PCMC and NCP work for people and not for themselves,” she says.

For some time,Ubale and Savle had not been on talking terms as both hold briefs for their respective camps. “However,our differences do not exist when we are on the floor of the house,” says Uable. “We work as a team and train our guns at civic administration for various omissions and commissions,” adds Savle.

Welcoming their re-election,Mayor Yogesh Behl,however,says,“The NCP is not afraid of them,but they should not oppose issues just for the sake of opposing. They should support us on good issues.” The mayor said both have good communication skills,but should put them to effective use.