MMC elections on Dec 18, polling for Pune at BJMC

For the first time, the official panel of candidates with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) will face a challenge from doctors who are enlisted with other panels and contesting the election. From Pune, Dr Dilip Sarda is the official candidate from IMA while Dr Nitin Bhagali from the Pragati panel, which is supported by Vaidkiya Vikas Manch and Shiv Arogya Sena will contest the election. The remaining two candidates include Dr Rishi Thakur and Dr Ajay Naik from Pune.

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IMA office bearers said that this election is different because for the first time, there is a distinct attempt by political forces to ‘capture’ MMC. IMA state secretary Dr Parthiv Sanghvi charged that the effort was to control medical education and medical practice by establishing a command over the Council. An ‘ayurvedic doctor’ was appointed earlier as the registrar of the MMC and then the Council was dissolved. Several proxy fronts – for instance the ‘Pragati’ panel is supported by organisations known to have allegiance to the BJP and Shiv Sena, Sanghvi said, adding that it poses a serious challenge to the Council’s autonomy.

The second central issue in this election is cross-pathy i.e. practice of a discipline that one is not trained in. AYUSH (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) practitioners, who are backed by the ruling dispensation, want permission to practise modern allopathic medicine in the state. Backers of ‘Pragati’ Panel want cross-pathy imposed in Maharashtra, as it is imposed in MadhyaPradesh, Sanghvi pointed out.