Pune: No name on invite list, upset Mayor says BJP taking credit for ‘smart city’ event

I had to ask for an invitation card, said Mayor Prashant Jagtap from NCP party, in response to an event celebrating the first anniversary of the launch of the Smart City mission.

Pune, Smart City program, Smart city initiative, smart city program anniversary, Mayor Prashant Jagtap, RULING NCP Mayor Prashant Jagtap, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Urban Development Department, Maharashtra News, Latest news, India News

I had to ask for an invitation card as I have not received one till now. It was shocking to find that there was no mention of the Mayor’s name on the invitation list. It’s so disrespectful to the first citizen of the city, said Mayor Prashant Jagtap

THE RULING NCP in the Pune Municipal Corporation has lashed out at BJP stating that the party has taken full credit for the event –celebrating the first anniversary of the launch of the Smart City mission– and shown disrespect by not mentioning the Mayor’s name on the invite for the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Pune on Saturday to launch the first set of smart city projects.

Mayor Prashant Jagtap said that the BJP was trying to “hijack” the event. “I had to ask for an invitation card as I have not received one till now. It was shocking to find that there was no mention of the Mayor’s name on the invitation list. It’s so disrespectful to the first citizen of the city,” said Jagtap.

The function might be of the Union Urban Development Department but it’s being organised in the city and the PMC is facilitating it with all its senior officers busy in the preparations, he said, adding, “This is the first time that the mayor is given such a treatment. It is very disappointing and I would be conveying my feelings to the Chief Minister and the Union Urban Development department.”

[related-post]

Watch Video: What’s making news

Story continues below this ad

“It should not be a function of one political party. It is a function of smart city mission and Pune has been leading the implementation of the Union government programme,” the Mayor said. Jagtap added that he would attend the function and would not violate the protocol of staying away from the function to be presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

City NCP chief and Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan said that the smart city was a misnomer as the project does not entail the city but only infrastructural development of Aundh, Baner, Balewadi, which houses a population of only 40,000 out of the total thirty five lakh population of Pune and is already one of the best developed areas of Pune.

Meanwhile, additional municipal commissioner Prerana Deshbhratar said that the mention of dignitaries in the invitation card has been as per the protocol. “The entire event is being planned by the Union government and we are facilitating it. We have received communication that the Mayor would be on the dais along with the Prime Minister and Chief Minister,” she said.

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories