Pimpri: NCP leader Ajit Pawar said here on Tuesday that leaders who left the NCP in Pimpri-Chinchwad have not joined the BJP for the larger public interest, but have in fact changed loyalties for personal gains.
“The people of Pimpri-Chinchwad are aware of these leaders and hence, we are confident that despite many leaders leaving the party, the people of the city will elect NCP in the PCMC,” he said.
In a reply to a question, Pawar said, “Azam Pansare, who recently left the party, alleged that he was not getting justice in our party. I fail to understand what kind injustice he came across in our party. The party made him chairman of the standing committee, mayor and state minister. We gave him a party ticket for contesting elections in Maval constituency as well as Haveli Assembly seat. If someone is calling this injustice, then we can’t do anything about this.”
Mayor Shakuntala Dharade, city unit chief of NCP Sanjog Waghere, former MLAs Vilas Lande, Anna Bansode, Deputy Mayor Prabhakar Waghere, Leader of House Mangala Kadam, Standing Committee Chairman Dabbu Asvani, Yogesh Behl, Nana Kate, Hanumant Gawade, Raju Misal, Atul Shitole and Fazal Sheikh were present.
Pawar further said, “It is difficult to say if these people will be loyal to the BJP for a long time. If they are going to stay in BJP for life, then they must declare it in public. Their loyalties are based on personal gains.”
Responding to the BJP’s allegation of Baramati’s control over PCMC politics, Pawar said, “I have not come here suddenly. This city gave me a lead of 35,000 votes in 1992, when this area was a part of Baramati constituency. We have transformed this city in the last 20 years. The residents of the city will answer to allegations in the election.”
Regarding forging an alliance with Congress, Pawar said, “We are optimistic about forging a pre-poll alliance with like-minded parties. But our decision will not depend on possible alliance of Shiv Sena and BJP. We are positively talking with the Congress.”
When asked about his reaction about the reward by Nitish Rane to youths who removed the statue of playwright Ram Ganesh Gadkari, Pawar said, “Such elements should be kept at bay. If these elements are encouraged, they will make it difficult for common people to live.”
