Setback for Cong as 2 corporators join NCP

Corporators Santosh Barne,who holds sway over the electorate in Kalewadi-Thergaon area,and Shashikiran Gawli,elected from Pradhikaran in the 2007 elections,joined the NCP on Saturday and there are chances of at least two more leaving the Congress before the polls.

The NCP had won a decisive mandate in the last PCMC elections with 60 wards in a House of 105.

The Congress had won 20. In 2009,Shrirang Barne,a heavyweight leader,dealt the Congress the first big blow by joining the Shiv Sena. This was followed by former Congress corporator Narayan Bahirwade deserting the party and joining the NCP along with local leaders like Pratik Zumbare and Alphonsa Denis.

Three more corporators,notably Amar Moolchandani from Pimpri,considered a strong candidate,and Yeshwant Bhosale,have been showing signs of quitting.

Moolchandani said he was waiting for a “proper offer” from the NCP. Bhosale said he would join the NCP only if he “talks it out” with Ajit Pawar.

“I am ready to join the NCP but before that certain things need to be sorted out,” he said.

Congress Pimpri unit unit chief Bhausaheb Bhoir said,“All those who want to leave may do so. The corporators leaving are not the party,they are one of the elements of the party.”

A day before the two corporators quit,when Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was in town,Bhoir had sounded him about several corporators wanting to quit and had told the CM that the party would not be affected.

“We have nothing to worry. These corporators are only drops in the Congress ocean. Even if these drops move out,the Congress will remain intact,” Bhoir said at a meeting held in presence of the Chief Minister.

Congress leader Babu Nair said that of the two corporators who had left and three intending to leave,four were already on their way out. “In fact,we had readied their expulsion orders. But we did not go public with it as we did not want to give too much importance to their leaving,” he said.