Journalism of Courage
NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar,focusing on municipal corporation polls,on Tuesday said he will personally urge party rebels to campaign for the official candidate and cited the example of the recent Khadakwasla assembly bypoll,where the party had lost.
At a press conference at Patrakar Bhavan on Tuesday,he said,We failed to calm down those who were declined party ticket for the assembly bypoll and that resulted in the defeat of party candidate Harshada Wanjale. We would have won if the ticket was given to someone else.
NCP city unit chief Vandana Chavan,MLC Anil Bhosale and MLA Bapu Pathare were also present.
Pawar said the NCP wanted ruling mandate in the PMC so that the party could go all out for development of the city.
The Deputy CM said the NCP had held back the list of candidates for the civic polls till the last day of filing of nomination as there was too much competition from ticket-seekers. There were at least 10 seats where there was too much competition for ticket. This has led many rebels to enter the fray but I am getting in touch with most of them urging them to campaign for the official party candidate, he said.
With the zilla parishad and panchayat samiti polls over,Pawar took charge of the campaign for the municipal corporations,including Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Now,all focus will be on the 10 municipal corporations. We will undertake extensive campaigns in the city and hold rallies to be addressed by party chief Sharad Pawar,Supriya Sule and all NCP ministers in the state, he said.
He said that in the city,the NCP had no free hand for all out development work as the party did not have full majority in PMC. The NCP had no option but ally with the saffron combine during the start of the tenure in 2007 as the Congress decided not to support us. However,the NCP and Congress later came together in the civic body, he said.
He cited the example of PCMC,where the NCP has majority. The NCP has set an example by carrying out development work in PCMC areas,he said.
The party will bring the ring road and underground metro rail in existence as early as possible after getting full majority in PMC, he said.
On giving party ticket to more than one person of a family,Pawar said candidature is given on elective merit. There are families that command respect in particular areas and citizens trust them. Hence,the party is trying to tap the potential and increase its strength in PMC, he said.
If the NCP had full majority in PMC,then it would not have delayed the approval of development plan of the city, he said,taking a potshot at the Congress. He,however,refrained from making comments on city MP Suresh Kalmadi and left it to the people to judge. I will not say anything on the role of city MP in PMC polls. It is upto citizens to decide who made the city proud or defamed it, he said.
On city Congress leaders meeting Kalmadi on his return,the Deputy Chief Minister said,I am least bothered even if they go and meet Dawood.
