Cong voted out in PMC

The 22-year-old reign of Congress over the Pune Municipal Corporation came to an unceremonious end on Friday as it was relegated to the third position in the civic polls with 36 seats.

The 22-year-old reign of Congress over the Pune Municipal Corporation PMC came to an unceremonious end on Friday as it was relegated to the third position in the civic polls with 36 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party BJP-Shiv Sena combine with 45 seats topped the list while the Nationalist Congress Party NCP emerged the single largest party with 42 seats.

A combination of issues 8211; bad roads, traffic congestion and the BRTS fiasco- saw the Congress slump from 61-strong single largest party pedestal last time round. The BJP too lost seats, from 33 to 25 while the Sena added to its tally of 19 by one. The NCP was the biggest beneficiary, having gained 20 seats from 22 earlier. Victorious NCP leader Ajit Pawar said the victory was a surprise. 8220;I was expecting that both Congress and NCP will get around 50 seats each. The votes got divided between the Congress and the NCP and it was the BJP that benefited,8221; he said.

Pawar said the NCP will continue to support all developmental projects: 8220;We will also ensure that the funds from Centre keep flowing for Pune8217;s development.8221;

He said the major factor which went in favour of the NCP was that the people were tired of the 8216;Kalmadi Congress8217;. 8220;When Kalmadi started referring to us as the 8216;Ajit-Sena8217; I decided that I have to defeat this 8216;Kalmadi-Congress8217;,8221; said Pawar.

A visibly subdued Suresh Kalmadi told reporters that he respected the verdict. 8220;Since Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has been saying that NCP will not have alliance with Congress, we are ready to sit in the opposition,8221; he said. Kalmadi said he would continue to bring central funds for Pune8217;s development. The changed situation will not affect the future of Bus Rapid Transit System and infrastructural upgradation for Commonwealth Youth Games, he added. Kalmadi attributed the presence of Sharad Pawar in Pune for five days as one of the main reasons for the loss. The anti-incumbency factor also worked, he said. Meanwhile, the BJP-Shiv Sena combine is ready to try out any option except that of joining hands with the Congress.

BJP city unit chief Girish Bapat said, 8220;The BJP is ready for a coalition with any party except the Congress led by Kalmadi. Puneities have got rid of Kalmadi as the election results have shown. Kalmadi8217;s arrogance resulted in the Congress defeat8221;.