PMC delimitation: NCP accuses BJP of sidelining Mahayuti partners; Supriya Sule seeks extension of deadline for objections

On Friday, the civic administration declared the draft delimitation for the forthcoming civic polls for the election of 165 corporators through a panel system, which has clubbed electoral areas to elect more than one member. A total of 41 electoral panels have been created, with four corporators each to be elected from 40 electoral panels, and five members from one electoral panel.

Pune NCP chief Subhash Jagtap said the delimitation of electoral panels in the PMC is in favour of the BJP. “It was expected that the delimitation would be equally beneficial for all three alliance partners of the Mahayuti, but it is mainly favouring the BJP and, in some places, the Shiv Sena. The NCP has suffered due to the changes as the area where the party has strength has been divided and distributed in multiple electoral panels,” he alleged.

Jagtap said the electoral panels were supposed to be created in a way that helps in the proper development of the area and not merely to ensure getting power. “We will raise our objections and decide our future strategy on it. It will be discussed with party president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar,” he said.

The PMC has witnessed a tussle, mainly between the BJP and NCP, with the saffron party coming to power in 2017 while the NCP was the main Opposition party. Prior to that, the NCP held power in the civic body for two terms, and the BJP was in the Opposition. The BJP has a strong vote bank mainly in the heart of the city, while the NCP has been dominating in the suburbs.

NCP leader and former mayor Dattatraya Dhankawade said complete injustice was done to him and his party in the delimitation. “The electoral area which I have been representing for the last few terms has been divided and distributed among four panels. This has been done at many places where the NCP dominated,” he alleged.

As yet, there is no official response from the BJP on the allegations. “There is no need for anyone to crib against the delimitation. It has been done by the civic administration, and everyone has the opportunity to submit their objections and give suggestions for consideration before the final delimitation is declared,” said a BJP leader.

Sule led a delegation of NCP(SP) to the PMC to express their unhappiness on the draft delimitation process. “I have conveyed to the civic administration that many political parties, even from the ruling alliance, are restless due to the draft delimitation. So there should be changes in it. Delimitation should be done considering public interest and not that of any political party. They should strictly follow the guidelines for delimitation laid down by the state government,” she stated.

The NCP(SP) working president said her party will request the state Election Commission to extend the deadline for submitting suggestions and objections on the draft delimitation till September 10, as against the existing August 28 deadline, considering Ganeshotsav.

The draft delimitation was published by the PMC on August 22, and public opinion has been sought till August 28, with all suggestions and objections to be heard till September 8. The finalised report has to be sent to the Maharashtra government by September 15 and to the State Election Commission by September 22. After the poll panel’s approval, the civic body will publish the final delimitation report in the gazette by October 6.