NAGPUR, MAR 22: When it comes to political expediency, political parties never lag behind. A case in point is the Nagpur BJP move to ask present Mayor Dr Kalpana Pande to tender her resignation for the election of a backward class corporator to the coveted post, under whose leadership the party intends to contest the forthcoming municipal polls.The decision of the BJP parliamentary party is being seen as an attempt to woo party corporators from backward communities, who have been disgruntled for long, claiming that they did not get their share of the cake ever since the party rode to power three years back. Both Dr Pande and her predecessor, Devendra Phadnavis, who held the key post since the party rode to power, belong to forward communities, it may be mentioned here.With the municipal polls just a year and half away, the party has decided to bring in a new face to face the challenge.Dr Pande today formally put in her papers before Municipal Commissioner Nanak Ramteke. Later speaking to newsmen, Dr Pande clarified that it was entirely her own decision prompted by the party directions. Dr Pande said the party leadership informed her that it was not a party policy to allow a candidate to avail the extension of term. She therefore conveyed her decision to resign to the party on March 15, she added. The BJP parliamentary party discussed the issue at length a couple of days back before it gave Dr Pande a final nod to tender her resignation.When contacted, Municipal Commissioner Nanak Ramteke said that he has initiated process for election of the new Mayor, Deputy Mayor and the Chairman of the Standing Committee, and the polls are likely to take place on March 28. Sources said the BJP parliamentary party is likely to meet again soon to decide upon the candidates to be fielded for the NMC posts.Later addressing a press conference on Tuesday evening, Dr Pande said she was satisfied with her performance keeping in view the short period she had at her disposal. She said that although none of the projects launched by her predecessor could be completed during her regime, she had successfully given shape to them. Some of the projects which include construction of shopping complexes, power from garbage project etc are likely to be completed this year, she said.The Mayor said the NMC was likely to reach the targets set for property tax and water tax collection, but was lagging far behind in case of octroi. She informed that the NMC is likely to revise the octroi rates as the rationalisation attempt has failed to yield desired results. Dr Pande felt that although it was essential to reassess properties in the city to expand the tax base, the job was extremely difficult.Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Mayor Rajendra Lokhande said that the Mayor-Deputy Mayor team had excellent coordination with the Standing Committee during the last year, resulting in speedy implementation of decisions.City BJP president Girish Vyas, who was also present at the press conference, felt that during Dr Pande's tenure, the NMC succeeded in extending roads and drinking water to the localities on the outskirts of the city. He further said that the NMC has done well in scaling the budgetary targets although it had lagged in octroi.Budget defermentWith the mayoral elections slated for March 28, the presentation of the annual budget may be deferred till the first week of April. Outgoing Mayor Dr Kalpana Pande categorically said the budget presentation will take place in April. According to sources, going by precedence, the budget should be presented before the end of the financial year. But the same has been delayed in view of the proposed mayoral polls. Municipal Commissioner, Nanak Ramteke, said he has already submitted the budget proposals to the Standing Committee. It will be up to the new Mayor whether he wants to call a general body meeting or a special one, he added.
